WALES

Advertising Campaigns

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advertising campaigns the Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the  (a) date and  (b) cost was of each.

Peter Hain: None.

Caravan Parks

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of people living in caravan parks on  (a) police,  (b) health,  (c) social service,  (d) educational spending and  (e) special educational needs spending;
	(2)  what account is taken of the number of people living in caravans in a local authority area when calculating the standard spending assessment;
	(3)  if he will review the allocation of funding to local authorities who have large numbers of caravan parks in their areas.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Funding for local authorities in England is the responsibility of the Department for Communities and Local Government. The local authority formula grant distribution system uses various evidence and data to allocate funding from central Government to local authorities in England. Detailed information about the calculation and distribution of formula grant for financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08 can be found at the following links, respectively:
	http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0607/lgfr067s/contents. pdf http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0607/lgfr078s/contents.pdf.
	The current formulae reflect a review which concluded in December 2005. This review involved local authorities and other interested parties and assessed the most important factors to be taken into account in allocating funding to local government.

Criminal Offences

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999 following devolution. Since that time, no criminal offences have been created by Orders in Council.

Department Staff (Criminal Activity)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  how many staff members in his Department have been  (a) prosecuted and  (b) convicted following fraud charges since 1997;
	(2)  how many of his Department's employees have been  (a) dismissed,  (b) suspended and  (c) subject to disciplinary action for criminal activity in each year since 1997.

Peter Hain: None.

Ministerial Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions he has stayed overnight in Wales on official business since his appointment.

Peter Hain: Due to disproportionate costs, this information is not available for the period October 2003 to May 2005.
	Since taking up my post as Secretary of State for Wales and Northern Ireland in May 2005 I have spent 74 days in Wales on official business.
	In addition to the time spent in Wales, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I undertake Wales business in Parliament and in the Wales Office at Gwydyr House, London.

HEALTH

"Choosing Health" Implementation

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will place in the Library a copy of the letter recently sent to strategic health authority chief executives informing them that primary care trusts and strategic health authorities should not identify savings from posts working on the implementation of "Choosing Health" when considering savings from implementing commissioning a patient-led NHS; and whether the same advice applies to revenue funding;
	(2)  which  (a) primary care trusts and  (b) strategic health authorities have identified savings to implement commissioning a patient-led NHS from resources previously allocated to the implementation of "Choosing Health".

Andy Burnham: "Commissioning a Patient-led NHS" outlined plans for achieving £250 million savings through the reconfiguration of strategic health authorities and primary care trusts.
	Guidance issued via a letter from the Department to finance directors in strategic health authorities (dated 3 October 2005) explained that it was for each strategic health authority to determine a methodology for distributing its share of the savings across the strategic health authorities and primary care trusts in its area. That letter made clear that savings should be delivered from management and administration costs and that strategic health authorities and primary care trusts should not identify for savings those posts working on implementing the "Choosing Health White Paper". A copy of this letter has now been placed in the Library.

A and E Hospitals

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average population size is of the catchment area of hospitals with type 1 accident and emergency departments.

Rosie Winterton: The data requested are not collected centrally.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what procedure is followed when it is proposed that an abortion clinic should be  (a) opened and  (b) closed;
	(2)  what the names and addresses are of facilities approved under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967 (as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990) for  (a) terminating pregnancies of 20 weeks or more duration and  (b) distribution of the RU 486 abortion drug; and how many approved beds each has;
	(3)  what the names and addresses are of facilities for terminating pregnancy under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967 (as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990) that were closed in each of the last 12 months; and what the reason for closure was in each case.

Caroline Flint: Any independent sector place wishing to perform abortion has to first be registered with the Healthcare Commission under the Care Standards Act 2000, as amended before the premises can be considered for approval under the Abortion Act 1967, as amended.
	All places wishing to be registered with the Healthcare Commission have to demonstrate they have the policies, local procedures and protocols in place to underpin service provision that will enable compliance with the required standards and regulations. Once the Healthcare Commission is satisfied that their requirements have been met the service is registered.
	All places are regularly monitored and inspected by the Healthcare Commission. If a breach of regulation is identified, the Healthcare Commission will take appropriate and proportionate action. This will range from advice on corrective action, to closure if corrective action is not taken within the required timeframe.
	Once a place has been approved under the Abortion Act, the approval is conditional upon its compliance with the Abortion Act and the Care Standards Act. Failure to comply with or maintain the required standards may lead to a withdrawal of approval.
	The names and addresses of the independent sector places currently approved under the Abortion Act have been placed in the Library. The approval under the Act allows the places to perform abortion. The registration under the Care Standards Act, based on the information provided to the Healthcare Commission, determines the number of beds and the method and gestation of abortion that can be performed, within the terms of the Abortion Act. Over the last year, one independent hospital, where abortion was one of many services provided, chose to stop providing abortion services for business reasons. There were no concerns about the quality of the service provided.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether her Department has provided any funding to Abortion Rights; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions  (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had with Abortion Rights; when she last discussed abortion with representatives of Abortion Rights; whether a record was kept of discussions at such meetings; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department has not provided any funding to Abortion Rights.
	Ministers have not met with Abortion Rights. However, Departmental officials met with Abortion Rights in June 2005 following a request for a meeting from the organisation to discuss what the Government are doing to improve access to abortion services. It was an informal meeting and no record was kept of the discussion. There are no plans for a further meeting.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many discharges there were from hospitals after septic abortions in 2005.

Caroline Flint: In 2005, there were 13 abortions where sepsis was recorded on the abortion notification form.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department  (a) has undertaken and  (b) plans to undertake into the reasons for trends in the abortion rate in South Gloucestershire between 2004 and 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 14 July 2006,  Official Report, column 2142W, and 21 March 2006,  Official Report, column 250W.
	It is a matter for primary care trusts to determine what services they provide in order to meet the needs of their local population.

Ambulance Service

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mobile communication systems the ambulance service uses; and what plans the Government have to ensure inter-operability and improve communications with other emergency services.

Rosie Winterton: Ambulance trusts use a range of communication systems including analogue and digital radio systems, mobile phones, pagers and data transfer systems.
	The Department signed a contract in 2005 to provide digital radio communication systems to all national health service ambulance trusts in England. This is the same system that is being provided to the police and fire services and will strengthen direct communication between services. Interim solutions are being put in place until rollout to all three emergency services is complete.

Ambulance Service

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether mobile phone triangulation technology is available to ambulance services for the purpose of identifying the whereabouts of a victim of an accident.

Andy Burnham: Triangulation technology is not used by ambulance trusts. However, there are two facilities that are available to emergency services to assist them in the location of callers using mobile phones and of vehicles involved in accidents.
	Where a 999 call is made from a mobile phone or landline, location information can be provided by the communications provider to the call handling agent. This information is available to all emergency controls either by automatic data transfer or verbally on request.
	Trusts have been encouraged to invest in the technology that enables automatic data transfer. The information provided is the address for a fixed line and cell, that is the approximate area from which the call was made, identification for a call from a mobile phone.
	Some cars are equipped with in-car telematics. Such systems are able to automatically report if the car has been involved in an accident, including the location of the vehicle derived from global positioning systems, vehicle details and the direction of travel. The details are passed to a call centre which will, if necessary, notify the emergency services of the details.

Animal Insulin

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps she is taking to ensure that the closure of the Biobras animal insulin production facilities in Brazil does not adversely affect the capacity of the remaining UK suppliers to manufacture animal insulins;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of how the production and distribution of animal insulins for the UK market will be affected by the discontinuation of Biobras insulin crystal production facilities in Brazil;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the proportion of animal insulins used in the UK which were constituted from animal insulin crystals produced by the Biobras production facility in Brazil in the last period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 17 July 2006,  Official Report, column 244W.

Asthma

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children have been diagnosed with asthma in each London borough in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people diagnosed with asthma there were in each  (a) London borough and  (b) constituency in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect data on the number of people diagnosed each year with asthma. However, the table shows data for primary care trust (PCT) level prevalence in London for April 2004 to March 2005 which are the only figures available.
	
		
			  Unadjusted disease prevalence, quality and outcomes framework (QOF) for April 2004 to March 2005, England, number on QOF disease registers and unadjusted prevalence rates, by PCT 
			  Strategic health authority (SHA) code  SHA name  PCT code  PCT name  Number of practices  Sum of list sizes  Sum of asthma register counts  Asthma unadjusted prevalence (Percentage) 
			 Q05 North Central London 5A9 Barnet 77 371,545 16,644 4.5 
			 Q05 North Central London 5K7 Camden 45 245,115 9,529 3.9 
			 Q05 North Central London 5C1 Enfield 60 282,866 12,550 4.4 
			 Q05 North Central London 5C9 Haringey 58 278,025 11,509 4.1 
			 Q05 North Central London 5K8 Islington 43 222,342 10,739 4.8 
			  North Central London1,399,893 60,971 4.4 
			 
			 Q06 North East London 5C2 Barking and Dagenham 42 172,748 7,179 4.2 
			 Q06 North East London 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 51 265,498 11,256 4.2 
			 Q06 North East London 5A4 Havering 52 247,003 11,393 4.6 
			 Q06 North East London 5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 65 310,022 14,263 4.6 
			 Q06 North East London 5NA Redbridge 50 242,958 10,810 4.4 
			 Q06 North East London 5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 41 225,668 10,882 4.8 
			 Q06 North East London 5NC Waltham Forest 59 250,877 12,000 4.8 
			  North East London1,714,774 77,783 4.5 
			 
			 Q04 North West London 5K5 Brent 72 349,145 15,495 4.4 
			 Q04 North West London 5HX Ealing 81 362,673 17,110 4.7 
			 Q04 North West London 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham 33 190,019 8,489 4.5 
			 Q04 North West London 5K6 Harrow 39 227,927 13,029 5.7 
			 Q04 North West London 5AT Hillingdon 53 261,750 13,637 5.2 
			 Q04 North West London 5HY Hounslow 60 251,041 11,470 4.6 
			 Q04 North West London 5LA Kensington and Chelsea 43 183,296 5,973 3.3 
			 Q04 North West London 5LC Westminster 51 244,188 7,924 3.2 
			  North West London2,070,039 93,127 4.5 
			 
			 Q07 South East London TAK Bexley Care Trust 35 221,611 11,484 5.2 
			 Q07 South East London 5A7 Bromley 53 315,982 16,252 5.1 
			 Q07 South East London 5A8 Greenwich 46 258,432 12,277 4.8 
			 Q07 South East London 5LD Lambeth 53 344,588 14,741 4.3 
			 Q07 South East London 5LF Lewisham 51 278,990 14,998 5.4 
			 Q07 South East London 5LE Southwark 48 280,231 11,194 4.0 
			  South East London1,699,834 80,946 4.8 
			 
			 Q08 South West London 5K9 Croydon 65 359,874 17,735 4.9 
			 Q08 South West London 5A5 Kingston 29 178,948 8,518 4.8 
			 Q08 South West London 5M6 Richmond and Twickenham 31 198,448 8,513 4.3 
			 Q08 South West London 5M7 Sutton and Merton 56 389,319 19,533 5.0 
			 Q08 South West London 5LG Wandsworth 50 311,003 13,133 4.2 
			  South West London1,437,592 67,432 4.7 
			  Notes: 1. SHA and PCT codes are used for administrative purposes in local and national databases. 2. Unadjusted prevalence = (number on disease register/list size) * 100. 3. © The Information Centre for health and social care 2005.  Source: QMAS database—2004-05 data as at end of June 2005.

Asthma

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) children and  (b) adults were diagnosed with asthma in each (i) London primary care trust and (ii) London strategic health authority in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect data on the number of people diagnosed each year with asthma. However, the table shows data for primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority (SHA) level prevalence in London, for April 2004 to March 2005 which are the only figures available.
	
		
			  Unadjusted Disease Prevalence, Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for April 2004—March 2005, England, numbers on QOF disease registers, and unadjusted prevalence rates, by PCT 
			  Strategic Health Authority code  SHA name  Code  PCT name  Number of practices  Sum of list sizes  Sum of asthma register counts  Asthma unadjusted prevalence (Percentage) 
			 Q05 North Central London 5A9 Barnet 77 371,545 16,644 4.5 
			 Q05 North Central London 5K7 Camden 45 245,115 9,529 3.9 
			 Q05 North Central London 5C1 Enfield 60 282,866 12,550 4.4 
			 Q05 North Central London 5C9 Haringey 58 278,025 11,509 4.1 
			 Q05 North Central London 5K8 Islington 43 222,342 10,739 4.8 
			  North Central London1,399,893 60,971 4.4 
			 
			 Q06 North East London 5C2 Barking and Dagenham 42 172,748 7,179 4.2 
			 Q06 North East London 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 51 265,498 11,256 4.2 
			 Q06 North East London 54A Havering 52 247,003 11,393 4.6 
			 Q06 North East London 5C5 Newham primary care team 65 310,022 14,263 4.6 
			 Q06 North East London 5NA Redbridge 50 242,958 10,810 4.4 
			 Q06 North East London 5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 41 225,668 10,882 4.8 
			 Q06 North East London  Waltham Forest 59 250,877 12,000 4.8 
			  North East London1,714,774 77,783 4.5 
			 
			 Q04 North West London 5K5 Brent 72 349,145 15,495 4.4 
			 Q04 North West London 5HX Ealing 81 362,673 17,110 4.7 
			 Q04 North West London 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham 33 190,019 8,489 4.5 
			 Q04 North West London 5K6 Harrow 39 227,927 13,029 5.7 
			 Q04 North West London 5AT Hillingdon 53 261,750 13,637 5.2 
			 Q04 North West London 5HY Hounslow 60 251,041 11,470 4.6 
			 Q04 North West London 5LA Kensington and Chelsea 43 183,296 5,973 3.3 
			 Q04 North West London 5LC Westminster 51 244,188 7,924 3.2 
			  North West London2,070,039 93,127 4.5 
			 
			 Q07 South East London TAK Bexley Care Trust 35 221,611 11,484 5.2 
			 Q07 South East London 5A7 Bromley 53 315,982 16,252 5.1 
			 Q07 South East London 5A8 Greenwich 46 258,432 12,277 4.8 
			 Q07 South East London 5LD Lambeth 53 344,588 14,741 4.3 
			 Q07 South East London 5LF Lewisham 51 278,990 14,998 5.4 
			 Q07 South East London 5LE Southwark 48 280,231 11,194 4.0 
			  South East London1,699,834 80,946 4.8 
			 
			 Q08 South West London 5K9 Croydon 65 359,874 17,735 4.9 
			 Q08 South West London 5A5 Kingston 29 178,948 8,518 4.8 
			 Q08 South West London 5M6 Richmond and Twickenham 31 198,448 8,513 4.3 
			 Q08 South West London 5M7 Sutton and Merton 56 389,319 19,533 5.0 
			  South West London 5LG Wandsworth 50 311,003 13,133 4.2 
			  South West London1,437,592 67,432 4.7 
			  Notes: SHA and PCT codes are used for administrative purposes in local and national databases Unadjusted prevalence=(number on disease register/list size) * 100 © The Information Centre for health and social care 2005

Bowel Cancer

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she has put in place to reduce waiting times for referral to specialists for bowel cancer patients.

Rosie Winterton: A maximum two-week out-patient waiting time standard was introduced in 2000 for urgent general practitioner referrals for suspected bowel cancer. In the last quarter (January to March 2006) 99.9 per cent. of urgent referrals for suspected bowel cancer were seen by a specialist within two weeks.

Cadbury Schweppes

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what  (a) manpower and  (b) finances are being provided to (i) Birmingham city, (ii) Herefordshire and (iii) Bath and North East Somerset council by the Food Standards Agency in relation to potential legal action against Cadbury Schweppes; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  when Cadbury Schweppes will introduce  (a) a positive release system and  (b) changes to the testing regime for its products; when it will (i) start and (ii) complete the process of (A) cleaning and (B) improving its Marlbrook plant; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has offered both financial and manpower resources to support investigations by the relevant local authorities. To date Herefordshire council has requested and been provided with the services of an investigator from the FSA. Cadbury Schweppes informed the FSA on 6 July that they had introduced a positive release system and changed their testing regime with immediate effect. Cadbury Schweppes also agreed to a programme of cleaning and improvement at the Marlbrook plant starting with immediate effect. This work, monitored by Herefordshire council, is scheduled to last six months to be followed by an ongoing programme of cleaning and maintenance.

Cadbury Schweppes

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the criteria were by which the Food Standards Agency decided which Cadbury Schweppes products should be recalled; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Article 14 of EC regulation 178/2002 prohibits food being placed on the market that is unsafe. Article 19 places obligations on food businesses to recall, and/or withdraw, food from the market if they have reason to believe it is not in compliance with the food safety requirements of Article 14. In deciding which Cadbury Schweppes products were unsafe and should therefore be recalled the Food Standards Agency received advice, from the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food, that there is no acceptable level of Salmonella in ready to eat foods.

Cancer Care

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the group comprising officials from  (a) her Department,  (b) the Department for Work and Pensions and  (c) Macmillan Cancer Relief since March 2005 to ensure more efficient delivery of benefits to cancer patients; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Since March 2005, both the Department and the Department for Work and Pensions have met with Macmillan Cancer Relief to discuss steps that can be taken to ensure that cancer patients are signposted to information and advice about benefits. These discussions are continuing and in particular, through proposals announced in the White Paper "Our Health, Our Care, Our Say" to develop information prescriptions for people with long-term conditions.

Cancer Care

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the extending of best practice to improve support for dying patients and their families since the publication of the 19(th) report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Tackling Cancer: improving the patient journey.

Rosie Winterton: The National Cancer Director and cancer action team are working with strategic health authorities (SHAs) and cancer networks on the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's supportive and palliative care guidance. Cancer networks have been required to set out action plans with key milestones to achieve compliance with the recommendations in the guidance. Implementation is being monitored by SHAs.
	Ministers have asked the National Cancer Director, Professor Mike Richards, with support from Professor Ian Philip, the National Director for Older People, to prepare a new end of life care strategy. This will include examples of good practice and will be disseminated across the health service.

Cancer Care

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to encourage hospitals to help with transportation costs for cancer patients.

Rosie Winterton: Hospital travel costs scheme (HTCS) provides financial assistance to those patients, including cancer patients, who do not have a medical need for ambulance transport, but who require assistance in meeting the cost of travel to and from their care. The Department has published good practice guidance to support trusts when administering the scheme. The guidance states that information about the scheme should be displayed in all patient areas and included in all appointment or admission letters. It is for individual trusts to decide how good practice is implemented locally.
	As part of the 'Our health, our care, our say' White Paper commitment to expand the HTCS to include referrals by health care professionals, we will be consulting on the impact of this as well as other issues, such as alternative ways to raise awareness of the scheme.

Cancer Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to alter the role of primary care trusts in the  (a) commissioning and  (b) contracting of (i) out-patient and (ii) in-patient cancer services; whether she expects elements of the (A) commissioning and (B) contracting process will be undertaken by organisations outside the public sector; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Commissioning is the process which determines how the health and health care budget is issued. The process must result in a good deal both for taxpayers and for patients, whether this is for cancer or other services.
	Commissioning will not be the responsibility of a single organisation in a patient-led national health service. Rather it will be a partnership between primary care trusts (PCTs), general practice and local government.
	Practices will play a central role in the future health system as the integrator of services for each patient. With indicative budgets for almost all primary and secondary care services, practice based commissioners (PBC) will be discussing and shaping with specialist and other health professionals the best patterns of care in their area, ensuring that their patients have available to them health services that best suit their needs. PCTs will also act as the agent of their practices, securing and holding contracts on behalf of practices.
	The proposed new local involvement networks (LINKS) will have a key role to play in helping commissioners use people's knowledge and experience to improve services they use.
	PCT commissioning, PBC and joint commissioning are not alternatives. They are each essential components of an effective commissioning process.
	Different aspects of cancer care will need to be planned and commissioned at different levels, according to the rarity of the disease or intervention. The important thing is that commissioning is co-ordinated within the context of the local cancer network.
	The Health Reforms support health care organisations to provide responsive services closer to home, making NHS providers stronger with greater freedom to innovate and creating more opportunities for voluntary sector, social enterprise and independent sector where local people and commissioners see the need.
	The great majority of health services will always be publicly owned. The exact mix locally will be for patients, through choice, and general practitioners and PCTs, using the commissioning process, to decide.
	We have launched a national procurement of commissioning expertise, using a framework agreement and call-off contract. Accredited providers will be made available to the NHS locally to support PCTs in their commissioning functions, should they need such expertise or support. This would form part of the Department's programme to strengthen NHS commissioning by providing PCTs with world class commissioning expertise from the private sector.
	The revised Official Journal of the European Union advert makes it clear that no PCT can hand over to the private sector their public accountability for commissioning decisions.
	There is scope for a number of diagnostic and treatment services related to cancer to be provided by the independent sector. However, it will be important to ensure that any such services are provided within the context of the local cancer network and that standards of care/treatment are the same as in the NHS.

Cannabis

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by her Department on treatment for cannabis dependence in the last period for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: Funding for drug treatment is not allocated according to drug type. The pooled treatment budget (PTB) for drug treatment is given to drug action teams across the country which spend this allocation based on the need of the local community. The PTB for 2006-07 is £375 million. In addition, £20 million capital is being made available to help support the expansion of residential rehabilitation and in-patient detoxification and other treatment services.

Carcase Deboning

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the deboning of carcases in butchers' shops is restricted in the UK to bovine animals under 24 months.[R]

Caroline Flint: holding answer 20 July 2006
	The deboning of carcases in butchers' shops is not restricted just to bovine animals under 24 months. In line with the Community TSE Regulation, any butcher in the United Kingdom wishing to remove vertebral column from bovines between 24 to 30 months of age, is able to do so providing they obtain an authorisation from their local authority.

Cardioverter Defibrillation

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients with relevant conditions use implantable cardioverter defibrillation; and what financial savings have been identified from their use.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

CCBRT

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1278W, on Consultant Contract Benefit Realisation Team (CCBRT), what the cost was of the CCBRT; how the effectiveness of CCBRT was measured; and what results CCBRT produced during the time it was operational.

Andy Burnham: The Consultant Contract Benefits Realisation Team (CCBRT) was set up in March 2005 and the 2005-06 total allocation of funding was £595,000. The effectiveness of the team's work was assessed against its objectives to:
	examine the implementation of the consultant contract;
	assess the value of the consultant job planning toolkit;
	identify how clinical leads have been developed to undertake job planning; and
	identify benefits gained and disseminate good practice.
	The team produced a final report to the strategic health authority in May 2006 the lesson from which are still under discussion.

Chest Diseases

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost was to the national health service of the treatment of chest diseases in each year since 1995.

Ivan Lewis: We do not have data before 2002-03. Since then, the Department's resource accounts have included details of expenditure by programme budget categories. Gross national health service expenditure on respiratory problems is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Gross expenditure £000 
			 2002-03 2,849,492 
			 2003-04 2,751,908 
			 2004-05 3,072,258 
			  Source:  Department of Health Resource Accounts 2002-03 (HC 191), 2003-04 (HC 150), 2004-05 (HC668).

Child Health Interim Application

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the impact on children in London of the failure of the child health interim application.

Caroline Flint: Affected primary care trusts (PCTs), departmental colleagues, Connecting For Health (CfH) and the Health Protection Agency (HPA) are currently carrying out an assessment review of the COVER statistics that have been produced by the HPA. The assessment is not yet complete but it appears that in some areas uptake of immunisation differs from what may have been expected. It is not yet clear whether the data received is complete, or if there is a drop in uptake, whether or not the problem is related to the child health interim application (CHIA) and/or other factors. Once the outcome of the review is complete, an action plan will be determined by the team to address the matter.
	In addition, CfH, the Department's immunisation team, HPA and the strategic health authority (SHA) have been working with the contractor (BT) to ensure that current problems with CHIA are managed effectively to provide child health teams with a more reliable system for the immediate future. An options appraisal has also been commissioned to consider the relative merits of either continuing work on the current system, or introducing an alternative system. This appraisal will be completed by September 2006. In the meantime, BT is continuing to provide support to PCTs to try to improve the present situation.

Child Health Interim Application

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on problems with the child health interim application.

Caroline Flint: The problems with the child health interim application (CHIA) have been addressed by a number of press releases from Connecting for Health (CfH). Colleagues from the Department and CfH are taking an expedient and pragmatic approach with the primary care trusts, strategic health authority and suppliers to resolve these issues in the short term and to review the options available for ensuring that a full and robust system is employed in the longer term.

Child Health Interim Application

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost of identifying and vaccinating children affected by the disruption to child health services through problems with the Child Health Interim Application.

Caroline Flint: It appears from the COVER reports that the number of children being immunised in some areas may not be as expected; however, as the returns received may be incomplete, we cannot at this stage draw any conclusions. An assessment review to determine the scope of the problem is being taken forward by colleagues at the Department, Connecting for Health, primary care trusts and strategic health authority and the suppliers (BT) who are working together to move the child health interim application forward as quickly as possible, as well as implement a more robust solution in the longer term.
	Once these issues have been resolved an investigation will commence to identify children who do not appear to have had due immunisations. There will then be a catch-up operation to ensure that these children are protected as soon as possible. At this stage, it is not possible to identify the cost of these exercises.

Child Health Interim Application

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she plans to take in relation to the primary care trusts using the child health interim application which have not filed data with the Health Protection Agency in this quarter.

Caroline Flint: The provision of primary care trust (PCT) immunisation reports to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) forms the basis of the HPA COVER reports, which are an important resource for measuring immunisation uptake across the country. It is in everyone's interests to ensure that all child health systems are able to facilitate this operation by producing statistics that can be used for the national COVER report. Whilst it is true that child health interim application (CHIA) has not been able to produce reports, colleagues at Connecting for Health and the strategic health authority have been working with the to try and produce reports from the raw data within CHIA for the last quarterly and annual returns.
	The provision of a permanent solution to provide COVER reports for the PCTs is currently the highest priority objective for the next software release of CHIA.

Childhood Vaccinations

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2006,  Official Report, column 227W, on immunisation, if she will place in the Library a list of those primary care trusts where general medical service partnerships have opted out of childhood immunisation services.

Caroline Flint: This corrects the information provided to the Answer of 18 April 2006,  Official Report, column 227W, on immunisation. It shows as at 2004, 343 of general medical servicer practices had opted out of childhood immunisation services and according to revised 2005 data this has now fallen to 28. A list has been placed in the Library.

Children's Hospices

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will bring forward proposals to increase the funding of children's hospices;
	(2)  what recent discussions she has held with the Prime Minister on the funding of children's hospices;
	(3)  when she expects to make an announcement regarding the funding of children's hospices;
	(4)  if she will make a statement on the meeting on 17 May 2006 between the Prime Minister and representatives of the hospice movement regarding funding for children's hospices.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 15 March 2006,  Official Report, column 1454W, concerning children's hospices. The meeting that took place on 17 May 2006 was in response to the Prime Minister's offer to meet representatives of the children's hospice movement. I understand that the hon. Member for Castle Point attended that meeting with representatives of the Association of Children's Hospices. The need to review the functions and funding of children's hospices was discussed and the effect the loss of Big Lottery funding was having on the services they provide to children and young people needing palliative care and their families.
	Our manifesto commitment to double funding for end of life care, including children's palliative care, was re-affirmed in the White Paper "Our health, our care, our say". This commitment to increase funding will increase choice about where to receive palliative care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions so that the child or young person can live as normal a life as possible for as long as possible. We will make a statement about funding the commitment as soon as we can.

Chiron (Diamorphine Supply)

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when Chiron first informed the Department that it would not be able to provide expected supplies of diamorphine to the NHS at the end of 2004; and what warning period is required of suppliers to the NHS of essential pharmaceuticals of an interruption or planned ending of supply;
	(2)  whether financial penalties were applied to Chiron when it interrupted the supply of diamorphine to the NHS at the end of December 2004.

Andy Burnham: Chiron informed the Department that its supplies of diamorphine injection were limited on 16 December 2004, and it was unable to say when more would be available.
	Guidelines issued jointly by the Department and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry "Ensuring Best Practice in the Notification of Product Discontinuations" state that companies should notify the Department of a product discontinuation at least three to six months prior to the deletion date, and 12 months where there is no therapeutic alternative.
	Medicines legislation which came into force on 30 October 2005 requires marketing authorisation holders, within the limits of their responsibilities, to notify the Licensing Authority if a product is not going to be available either temporarily or permanently. In all but exceptional circumstances, two months notice is required.
	Diamorphine injection is supplied through wholesalers to community pharmacists, and is also tendered and contracted for by the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) on behalf of national health service trusts. For the contracted supplies, Chiron was not subject to any financial penalty other than that which forms part of the standard NHS terms and conditions of contract for the purchase of goods, which is issued with all tenders by the NHS. There is no formally agreed warning period within NHS PASA contracts or terms and conditions.

Chiropractors

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, column 353W, on chiropractic management, how many chiropractors were employed by the NHS in each of the last three years; and at what cost.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of chiropractors and the cost to the national health service is not available as chiropractors were not separately identified in the workforce census from the rest of the non-medical work force.

Choose and Book Service

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent on the choose and book service.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for St. Albans (Anne Main) on 10 March 2006,  Official Report, columns 1812-13W.

Choose and Book Service

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients have been unable to book an appointment on the telephone and online when they have been given a unique booking reference number by the Choose and Book system as a result of  (a) human failure and  (b) system error.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Clinical Academic Staff

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to increase the number of clinical academic staff in  (a) medical and  (b) dental schools.

Andy Burnham: The Department and its partners are taking forward training schemes to implement the recommendations on clinical academic careers made last year by the academic careers sub-committee of modernising medical careers and the United Kingdom clinical research collaboration. In the first round, the clinical academic careers panel has recommended for funding:
	104 programmes to support academic clinical fellowships (597 ACFs over five years); and
	101 programmes to support clinical lectureships (303 CLs over five years).
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Department are also offering funding for up to 200 "new blood" senior lectureships through five annual rounds of awards.

Clinical Assessment Services

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the use of Clinical Assessment Services by primary care trusts; what the plans are for the introduction of a Clinical Assessment Service to deal with patients in Hertsmere; what standard of medical skills will be required of those providing that service; what other service specifications will be required; what target has been set for cost savings as a result of the introduction of the service; what the cost of the service is expected to be; what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the service on waiting times; what opportunities patients will have to have a say in the running of the service; and what consultations have been carried out with patients about the provision of a Clinical Assessment Service in Hertsmere.

Andy Burnham: Current advice is contained in a letter from the Department's director of access to primary care trust chief executives in July 2005. Referrals to community-based clinical assessment services, and other such centres, should happen only where it adds genuine clinical value for patients. A copy of the letter is available in the Library.
	Information about the effects of the use of such services on referrals to secondary care is not held centrally.

Clinical Care (Peter Halley)

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where within the NHS the on-call doctor at Southend Hospital with responsibility for the treatment of Peter Halley of Southend-on-Sea following admission on 7 May 2004 now works.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 24 July 2006
	The Department does not hold information on the employment of individual doctors working in the national health service. All NHS trusts who employ doctors including temporary staff have a duty to check the good standing and employment history of those doctors and to ensure that they are fit to practise and fit for purpose, this includes checking whether an alert letter has been issued. Where doctors are supplied through agencies those agencies have a similar duty. Alert letters provide a mechanism by which the NHS can urgently communicate concerns of a serious nature in relation to a healthcare practitioner.

Clostridium Difficile

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which NHS hospital trusts have reported having patients in their hospitals with clostridium difficile in 2006;
	(2)  what guidance has been issued to  (a) NHS hospital trusts and  (b) NHS primary care trusts on dealing with clostridium difficile; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  which primary care trusts have reported having patients in their hospitals with clostridium difficile in 2006.

Andy Burnham: Data on the number of "Clostridium difficile" reports for patients aged 65 and over is available for national health service acute trusts from the mandatory surveillance scheme on health care associated infections. Results for 2006 are not available but data for 2005 are available at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/mandatory_report_ 2006.htm
	Reporting of data is the responsibility of the NHS acute trust and therefore data are not available for primary care trusts.
	The following guidance was sent to chief executives of NHS trusts and made available to Chief Executives of strategic health authorities and primary care trusts:
	A joint professional letter from the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Nursing Officer went out to NHS Trusts in December 2005 to remind them of the importance of this infection. This letter listed the key actions to control "Clostridium difficile" and highlighted the guidance available(1,2). The letter is at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PubliationsAndStatistics/LettersAndCirculars/ProfessionalLetters/ChiefMedicalOfficerLetters/ChiefMeicalOfficerLettersArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4125069&chk=cuQ7C%2B.
	As part of our delivery programme "Saving lives: a delivery programme to reduce health care associated infections including MRSA" a high impact intervention which is a tool to help reduce "Clostridium difficile" infections was published in June 2006.
	A simple guide to "Clostridium difficile" is also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCare Topics/HealthcareAcquiredInfection/HealthcareAcquired GeneralInformation/HealthcareAcquiredGeneralArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4115800&chk=wHehV/
	Although much of the current guidance is still extant we have asked the Health Protection agency to review the national guidance. Mandatory surveillance has shown a clear need to improve NHS performance and we believe that upgrading the level of surveillance and more rapid feedback of results will help performance. Therefore, we intend to move to quarterly publication as soon as it is feasible to do so.
	(1 ")Clostridium Difficile" Infection, Prevention and Management A Report by a Department of Health/PHLS joint working group. 1994
	(2) Guidelines for optimal surveillance of Clostridium difficile infection in hospitals Brazier JS and Duerden BI. Guidelines for optimal surveillance of "Clostridium difficile" infection in hospitals. Comm.Dis.Pub.Health. 1998:1;(4) 229-230.

Community Hospitals

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospitals in  (a) South West London,  (b) Surrey,  (c) Middlesex,  (d) Greater London and  (e) England are having their closure discussed; and in how many such cases the possible closure is a result of NHS trust budget deficits.

Andy Burnham: Making decisions on local healthcare provision, including the closure of community hospitals, is a matter for primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs) in consultation with the local population. Therefore, the Department does not centrally collect information on the number of community hospitals that are having their closure discussed.
	In paragraph 6.42 of the recently published Health White Paper 'Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services' it was made clear to national health service organisations that community hospital facilities should not be lost in response to short-term budgetary pressures that are not related to the viability of the community facility itself.
	Therefore, no community hospitals should be closed solely as a result of NHS primary care trust budget deficits. Therefore, there is a commitment that PCTs taking decisions about the future of community hospitals are required to demonstrate to their SHA that they have consulted locally and have considered options such as developing new pathways, new partnerships and new ownership possibilities. In relation to this commitment, the Department has recently written to SHAs to clarify how it might operate in practice.
	The Department has announced a £750 million capital investment programme and recently published a document that sets out how to take forward the agenda on community hospitals and community-based services and facilities. The document also includes case study examples of those areas that are already making the most of their community hospital, and highlights new developments that fit with the vision that the White Paper put forward. The document can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk.

Community Hospitals

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) information and  (b) support she has made available to hon. Members with community hospitals threatened with closure in their constituency.

Andy Burnham: The recently published Health White Paper "Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services" sets out how the Department intends to fulfil the Government's manifesto commitment to develop a new generation of modern national health service community hospitals. The Department will keep Parliament updated with progress against this commitment.
	However, making decisions on local health care provision, including the closure of community hospitals, is a matter for primary care trusts and strategic health authorities in consultation with the local population. Therefore, the onus is on local NHS organisations to consult with local stakeholders, such as local hon. Members, and to make relevant information available as appropriate.
	The Department has announced a £750 million capital investment programme and recently published a document that sets out how to take forward the agenda on community hospitals and community-based services and facilities. The document also includes case study examples of those areas that are already making the most of their community hospital, and highlights new developments that fit with the vision that the White Paper put forward. The document can be found on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk.

Community Hospitals

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of the closure of community hospitals on the elderly; and what steps she is taking to lessen that impact.

Andy Burnham: This Government have invested heavily on developing alternatives to in-patient stays in hospitals, including more intensive support to enable people to stay in their own homes wherever that is safe and what the individual wants. We set out in the White Paper "Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: a new direction for community services" that community hospitals can play an invaluable role in delivering services that patients need, and want close to home. We have stressed that short-term budgetary pressures are insufficient reason to close viable community hospitals that local people want and that they should only be closed after extensive consultation locally and when any proposals have been tested against the principles set out in the White Paper.
	The Department has announced a £750 million capital investment programme and recently published a document that sets out how to take forward the agenda on community hospitals and community-based services and facilities. The document also includes case study examples of those areas that are already making the most of their community hospital, and highlights new developments that fit with the vision that the White Paper put forward. The document can be found on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk.

Community Hospitals

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her oral Statement of 5 July 2006,  Official Report, column 819W, on community hospitals, how many community hospitals in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire strategic health authority area she assesses as being based in Victorian workhouse facilities.

Rosie Winterton: Suffolk West Primary Care Trust (PCT) currently provides services at Walnutree Hospital and Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire PCTs provide services on part of the Brookfields site (Davison House), all of which were workhouses originally.

Community Hospitals

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has made an assessment of the likely demand for community hospital beds in East Cambridgeshire and Fenland primary care trust area over the next five to 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: It is for primary care trust to assess and commission services to meet the needs of the populations that they serve.

Community Hospitals

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospital beds there were in the East Cambridgeshire and Fenland primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Community Hospitals

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has made an assessment of the likely demand for community hospital beds in  (a) Guildford and Waverley primary care trust area and  (b) Surrey over the next (i) five and (ii) 10 years.

Andy Burnham: It is for local primary care trusts in conjunction with strategic health authorities to make assessments relating to local health service provision.

Community Hospitals

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 5 July 2006,  Official Report, column 816-32, on community hospitals, whether the new community hospitals will have midwife-led maternity services.

Andy Burnham: As stated in the publication 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Community: investing in the future of community hospitals and services' the clinical possibilities of community hospitals and their range of services are considerable. Annex A of that publication, outlines some of the possibilities, which include maternity services.
	However, decision making on specific local healthcare provision, including midwife led maternity services, is a matter for primary care trusts and strategic health authorities in consultation with the local population.

Community Hospitals

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the number of community hospital beds which will be needed in the next 10 years.

Andy Burnham: It is for local primary care trusts in conjunction with strategic health authorities to make assessments relating to local health service provision.

Contestability Process

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which operational areas of her Department's work are being reviewed under the contestability process.

Ivan Lewis: The Department is not reviewing new areas for contesting departmental functions although some services continue to be contracted out such as information technology maintenance, catering, occupational health and photocopying.

Continuing Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 13 July 2006,  Official Report, column 2042W, on continuing care, if she will make it her policy that no-one currently in receipt of continuing care will lose their entitlement to it with the introduction of the national framework for continuing care.

Ivan Lewis: We are consulting on a draft national framework until 22 September 2006, and it would be inappropriate to enter into specific commitments until all consultees have had an opportunity to comment and for those comments to be considered.
	However, the national framework will not change the existing legal basis for the provision of NHS Continuing Healthcare, by which fully funded NHS Continuing Healthcare is provided for all those individuals whose primary need is a health need. This is based on an assessment of need and if individuals' needs have not changed there is no reason to expect them to lose their entitlement to NHS Continuing Healthcare. Equally, continuing entitlement to an individual whose needs change cannot be guaranteed.

Contract Notice 2006/05 114-121806

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which organisations her Department consulted on the contract notice 2006-05 114-121806;
	(2)  why the contract notice 2006-05 114-121806 published in the Official Journal of the European Union was withdrawn; and whether she intends to submit a revised contract notice.

Andy Burnham: The advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) was withdrawn and a revised advertisement submitted on 13 July to make it clear that clinical provision was explicitly excluded from the scope of the procurement. In other words, that we were advertising for a range of management functions to support primary care trusts (PCTs) commissioning role. We have used the opportunity of the reissue of the advertisement to emphasise that even if PCTs choose to use such services they remain accountable to the public for the resources spent on health care in their locality.
	The procurement framework will allow successful companies to offer a range of commissioning skills and services to PCTs who can chose whether or not to use the services offered. This is part of a range of measures to support PCTs and practices in developing effective commissioning as described in "Health reform in England: update and commissioning framework". PCTs are and will remain public, statutory bodies responsible for using their growing budgets to commission the best possible services for local people. They can never outsource this responsibility, or ask others to make these decisions for them.
	We did not consult with external organisations prior to issuing the OJEU because one of the main purposes of such an advertisement is to elicit responses from interested organisations.

Counterfeit Medicines

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to control the sale of counterfeit medicines online.

Andy Burnham: Medicines law in the United Kingdom (UK) (Medicines Act 1968 and related regulations) imposes strict controls on the sale, supply and advertising of medicines and these controls apply without distinction to medicines offered for sale via the internet and by mail order. Internet pharmacies must be registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and any manufacturing or distribution activities are required to be licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
	Problems arise when online sites are based in another territory, outside of the UK's legal jurisdiction. Regulatory requirements can vary from country to country, particularly outside the European Community, where the products may be classified differently and the laws may be entirely different. In such cases, details of the websites are referred to counterparts in the host country with a request to take action as appropriate to prevent sale to UK citizens.

Dentistry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which groups representing those working in dental laboratories she has met in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: I met with the Dental Laboratories Association (DLA) in December 2005. The DLA is represented on the implementation review group, which has been set up to review the impact of the national health service dentistry reforms and identify any issues that need to be addressed. I attended the first meeting of the review group in April.

Dentistry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has  (a) initiated and  (b) evaluated on the reasons for the change in the level of dentists providing NHS dental repairs since the implementation of the new dental contracts; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: It is for individual dentists working under general dental services contracts or personal dental services agreements to use their clinical judgment to examine a patient and determine what treatment including any dental repairs is necessary. The Department does not collect routine information on the quantity or type of dental repairs being carried out.

Departmental Publications

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the unnumbered command papers produced by her Department in each Session since 1976; by what means  (a) hon. Members and  (b) members of the public can (i) inspect and (ii) obtain copies; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Documents which are laid before Parliament as unnumbered command papers are generally restricted to explanatory notes to treaties, explanatory memorandum to statutory instruments and some Treasury minutes. All other documents are published in the numbered command papers series.
	Details of those published since 1976 can be produced only at disproportionate cost. Copies of all unnumbered command papers are made available to hon. Members via the Vote Office. Members of the public who wish to see an unnumbered command paper may write to the Department.

Departmental Travel

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free air miles have been earned by senior civil servants in her Department in each of the last three years; and how they were used.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has no record of any free air miles having been earned by its senior civil servants.

Diabetes

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diabetics in  (a) England and  (b) Shropshire use (i) insulin inhalers and (ii) insulin pumps.

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients with diabetes use insulin pumps; and what savings have been identified from their use.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.

Diagnostic Phase Management

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost has been of the diagnostic phase management consultants employed by trusts applying for foundation status.

Ivan Lewis: The diagnostic programme to prepare national health service trusts for NHS foundation trust status has been delivered through a central support contract for consultancy support. The contract was let following a competitive tendering process, the value for which is commercially confidential. The Department does not hold information on the average cost of consultancy support for trusts although we are aware that consultants have added value to the programme by providing external rigour and challenge as well as business expertise.

Doctor Registration

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors in London were struck off the medical register in each year since 1997.

Andy Burnham: This information is not collected centrally.

Doddington Hospital

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) letters and  (b) other representations her Department received on Doddington Community Hospital near March in Cambridgeshire.

Andy Burnham: There have been no representations made on the subject of Doddington Community Hospital, and due to the way data is collected, the Department is unable to provide the number of letters received in relation to Doddington Community Hospital.

Dr. Foster Intelligence Data Information Service

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been budgeted by her Department for the Dr. Foster intelligence data information service; what range of data will be collected by Dr. Foster; who will own the data that are collected; and whether Dr. Foster will be entitled to make financial gain from use of the information collected beyond the profit gained from the stated aim of helping to give people more choice.

Caroline Flint: The information centre for health and social care is a 50 per cent. shareholder in Dr. Foster Intelligence and is working in partnership with the company to transform data into products and services which are relevant, accessible and usable to deliver better care.
	The information centre for health and social care does not procure data information services from Dr. Foster Intelligence and has no current budget to do so.
	Dr. Foster Intelligence has competed to be part of several of the Department's framework agreements, making it eligible to compete for work alongside other preferred suppliers. However, the nature and value of the work is dependent upon the originating specification and terms on which any subsequent contract is let. Any profits made by Dr. Foster Intelligence are shared with the Department.

Drug Rehabilitation

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the health service on the treatment of persons addicted to illegal drugs in each of the last three years.

Caroline Flint: The amount of funding spent on drug treatment for each of the last three years is shown in the table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Pooled treatment budget  Mainstream funding  Total 
			 2003-04 236 200 436 
			 2004-05 253 2041 257 
			 2005-06 300 2081 508 
			  Note: Estimated local funding increases based on 2 per cent. inflation

Drug Rehabilitation

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug addicts received treatment from GPs in  (a) Eastern Leicester Primary Care Trust,  (b) Leicester City West Primary Care Trust and  (c) England in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not collect information on how many drugs addicts receive treatment from general practitioners (GPs). However, treatment data from the national drug treatment monitoring system (NDTMS) are shown in the table for clients receiving GP prescribing for the treatment of drug addiction in Leicester (city) and the whole of England for 2004-05 and 2005-06. Data are not available at primary care trust level.
	
		
			   Leicester  England 
			 2004-05 164 28,305 
			 2005-06(1) 234 34,971 
			 (1) Provisional data based on 30 April 2006 dataset

Drug Rehabilitation

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average expenditure per patient was for drug rehabilitation in  (a) Bexley borough and  (b) Greater London in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: This information is not held centrally.

Drug Rehabilitation

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) residential and  (b) inpatient specialist drug treatment rehabilitation places are available in (i) Ruislip-Northwood constituency, (ii) each London borough and (iii) England.

Caroline Flint: It is important to note that residential and inpatient drug rehabilitation services are often provided outside of the individual's drug action team (DAT) of residence. Therefore, individuals as well as having access to these services in their area of residence are, with the agreement of their DAT, able to access similar services elsewhere in the country.
	There are no residential rehabilitation services in the Ruislip-Northwood constituency (London borough of Hillingdon).
	There is one service providing inpatient drug treatment. We do not have any information about the number of beds or client places for drug treatment in the service.
	There are 19 residential rehabilitation services in London. Where a London borough is not shown, this means there are no services based within that borough. The breakdown is shown in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Borough  Number of units  Number of beds 
			 Camden 3 43 
			 Ealing 1 12 
			 Enfield 1 50 
			 Islington 1 13 
			 Lambeth 4 71 
			 Lewisham 1 31 
			 Southwark 1 12 
			 Tower Hamlets 1 8 
			 Walthamstow 2 26 
			 Wandsworth(1) 3 138 
			 Westminster 1 8 
			 Total 19 412 
			 (1) This figure is high because it includes one of the large priory hospitals (private sector). 
		
	
	We do not hold centrally a breakdown by London borough of inpatient treatment services. The review of inpatient treatment recently published by the National Treatment Agency (Ed Day, 2005) found 13 services in London providing inpatient treatment (national health service, voluntary sector and private sector). We have no specific information on the number of beds, client places or admissions to treatment in these services.
	There are 115 residential rehabilitation services in England with a total of 2,441 beds for drug and/or alcohol treatment.
	The review of inpatient treatment identified 129 services providing inpatient treatment for dug misuse in England. These services fall into three main types:
	specialist units for drug misuse inpatient treatment;
	inpatient drug treatment which takes place in general or psychiatric wards; and
	detoxification in residential rehabilitation services, prior to admission to the rehabilitation programme.
	The review of inpatient treatment estimated that the total number of admissions to inpatient treatment (for the year 2003-04) was as follows:
	specialist units: 6,829 admissions;
	general/psychiatric wards: 2,077 admissions.
	 Note:
	In response to this question, information is mainly given in number of beds available for residential rehabilitation. This is not the same as the number of client places available in treatment services during any one year, as one bed may be occupied by a number of clients, depending on need, during the year.

Eastbourne District General Hospital

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) overseas residents and  (b) UK residents not normally living in Eastbourne have received NHS treatment at the Eastbourne District General Hospital in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: This information requested is not collected centrally.

Eastbourne District General Hospital

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cardiac episodes required admission to Eastbourne District General Hospital  (a) by ambulance and  (b) through accident and emergency in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not collected centrally in this format.

Eating Disorders

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of the incidence of eating disorders with the  (a) public and  (b) medical profession.

Rosie Winterton: The Department asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to produce a clinical guideline on the core interventions in the treatment and management of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and related eating disorders which was published in 2004. The guideline covers physical and psychological treatments, treatment with medicines, and what kinds of services best help people with eating disorders. It also includes information specifically for patients, carers and the general public.
	The Department's five-year initiative to tackle stigma and discrimination surrounding mental health issues in England, Shift, works with young people and professionals to promote awareness of all mental health problems including eating disorders.
	The Department also supports voluntary organisations such as the Eating Disorders Association to provide information and advice for people with mental health problems in England through the mental health helplines partnership project.

Eye Tests

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free eye tests were given in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held in the format requested. However, the following table shows data on the number of free eye tests by health authority and primary care trust in London for the years 1996-97 to 2004-05.
	
		
			  Free eye care tests by HA and PCT in London 
			  Number 
			   2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998-99  1997-98 
			 Barking and Havering 77,050 73,877 71,990 53,440 52,310 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey 156,850 165,170 156,410 130,990 131,540 
			 Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich 146,410 143,879 132,280 99,060 95,620 
			 Brent and Harrow 89,340 86,595 88,520 75,890 74,880 
			 Camden and Islington 58,290 59,166 57,770 49,180 56,940 
			 Croydon 55,760 59,533 59,890 46,050 45,570 
			 Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow 96,980 96,528 97,490 76,370 85,430 
			 East London and the City 121,300 127,144 129,190 118,380 122,150 
			 Hillingdon 47,990 44,042 45,130 32,170 32,120 
			 Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster 52,410 53,771 49,490 39,550 43,360 
			 Kingston and Richmond 103,310 104,618 105,590 88,420 93,680 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham 87,580 95,561 95,570 73,810 76,210 
			 Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth 87,580 95,561 95,570 73,810 76,210 
			 Redbridge and Waltham Forest 96,070 92,341 98,430 86,130 80,340 
		
	
	
		
			  Number 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 North Central London SHA 210,480 208,950 213,630 
			 Barnet — 67,280 67,203 
			 Camden — 32,720 33,479 
			 Enfield — 43,820 44,911 
			 Haringey — 43,130 43,762 
			 Islington — 21,990 24,275 
			 North East London SHA 283,500 282,730 293,285 
			 Barking and Dagenham — 26,530 27,741 
			 City and Hackney — 39,630 42,006 
			 Havering — 49,220 51,507 
			 Newham — 47,180 50,974 
			 Redbridge — 48,680 50,799 
			 Tower Hamlets — 27,200 26,971 
			 Waltham Forest — 44,280 43,287 
			 North West London SHA 279,400 282,590 287,451 
			 Brent — 40,370 41,774 
			 Ealing — 43,130 44,783 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham — 16,610 17,890 
			 Harrow — 45,950 47,814 
			 Hillingdon — 48,380 48,081 
			 Hounslow — 36,650 37,540 
			 Kensington and Chelsea — 14,590 17,209 
			 Westminster — 36,900 32,360 
			 South East London SHA 242,310 240,960 243,625 
			 Bexley — 45,640 46,559 
			 Bromley —- 62,390 63,376 
			 Greenwich — 34,580 34,818 
			 Lambeth — 33,120 33,678 
			 Lewisham — 32,220 31,588 
			 Southwark — 33,010 33,606 
			 South West London SHA 198,240 202,810 206,961 
			 Croydon — 57,780 59,667 
			 Kingston — 28,930 29,890 
			 Richmond and Twickenham — 24,050 24,442 
			 Sutton and Merton — 53,060 55,488 
			 Wandsworth — 38,990 37,474

Fibromyalgia

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department is undertaking into the causes of fibromyalgia; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea, East (Mrs. James) on 10 May 2006,  Official Report, column 373W.

Food Standards Agency

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the Food Standards Agency in establishing a timetable for the comprehensive inspection and licensing of food broker businesses.

Caroline Flint: As from the 1 January 2006 all food brokers are required to register their food premises with their local authority in terms of Regulation 852/2004 of the European Parliament. Once a premises is registered it will be inspected to ascertain if it meets the requirements of the relevant food safety legislation. Currently, there is no requirement for food brokers to be licensed as food business operators.

General Medical Services Contract

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the review of the Quality and Outcomes Framework of the General Medical Services Contract.

Andy Burnham: Negotiations on this issue between NHS Employers and the British Medical Association's general practice committee aim to be completed in time for the start of the financial year 2007-08.

Gershon Review

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her Answer of 20 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1802W, on the Gershon Review, what the main elements are of the 179 million savings in social care.

Ivan Lewis: The Department was informed of the 179 million efficiency savings in relation to adult social care through the 2005-06 Mid-Year Update Annual Efficiency Statements which were completed by councils and submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in November 2005. The template for the Annual Efficiency Statement requires subdivision between different major council services areas, such as adult social care, but there is no requirement for councils to further subdivide their efficiency savings totals into specific elements of services.

Glos, Wilts  Avon Strategic Health Authority

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many administrative and managerial staff have been employed by the Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Avon strategic health authority in each year of its existence; what the cost of that employment is; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The requested information is provided in the table. Figures are not available prior to 1998-99. Figures for 2005-06 will not be available until autumn this year.
	
		
			  Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Avon Strategic Health Authority 
			000 
			  2002-03  
			 Administrative 367 
			 Managers 3,458 
			   
			  2003-04  
			 Administrative 342 
			 Managers 2,020 
			   
			  2004-05  
			 Administrative 2,814 
			 Managers 4,102

Head Injuries (Rehabilitation)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in  (a) Southend-on-Sea,  (b) Essex,  (c) Hertfordshire and  (d) the Metropolitan police and City of London police areas of London offer specialist services for the rehabilitation of patients with severe head injuries.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health Professions Council

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she plans to extend the 2008 deadline for regulating psychotherapy counsellors through the Health Professions Council; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Work is in hand to scope competencies and undertake preparatory work to enable the statutory regulation of psychotherapists. Decisions about further progress will be taken once the consultation on healthcare profession regulation closes on 10 November 2006.
	Following the publication of the Chief Medical Officer's report on medical regulation, Good Doctors, safer patients, and the parallel review of non-medical regulation on 14 July, the Department is now seeking views of stakeholders as to the contents of the reports and the associated Regulatory Impact Assessment documents.

Health Worker Recruitment Code of Practice

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the effectiveness of the code of practice on the international recruitment of health workers.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has no plans to review the effectiveness of the code of practice which is working well.

Hepatitis C

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of hepatitis C there were in each  (a) primary care trust and  (b) strategic health authority area in England (i) in total and (ii) per head of population in each year since 2001.

Caroline Flint: Data by primary care trust or strategic health authority are not available. The number of laboratory diagnoses of hepatitis C reported to the Health Protection Agency (HPA) for the period requested by HPA region(1) are shown in the table with rates per 100,000 population.
	(1) HPA regions correspond to the Government Offices of the English Regionssee www.gos.gov.uk.
	
		
			  Hepatitis C laboratory reports by Government Offices of the English regions, 2001 to 2005 
			   Number  Rate/100,000 
			  East Midlands   
			 2001 159 3.81 
			 2002 262 6.28 
			 2003 358 8.57 
			 2004 472 11.31 
			 2005 524 12.55 
			
			  Eastern   
			 2001 488 9.05 
			 2002 419 7.77 
			 2003 471 8.73 
			 2004 649 12.03 
			 2005 726 13.46 
			
			  London   
			 2001 399 5.55 
			 2002 366 5.09 
			 2003 416 5.79 
			 2004 895 12.45 
			 2005 898 12.49 
			
			  North East   
			 2001 131 5.21 
			 2002 157 6.24 
			 2003 261 10.37 
			 2004 295 11.72 
			 2005 342 13.59 
			
			  North West   
			 2001 1,157 17.19 
			 2002 1,603 23.81 
			 2003 2,358 35.03 
			 2004 2,516 37.38 
			 2005 2,017 29.96 
			
			  South East   
			 2001 639 7.98 
			 2002 607 7.58 
			 2003 544 6.79 
			 2004 465 5.81 
			 2005 294 3.67 
			
			  South West   
			 2001 807 16.36 
			 2002 1,023 20.73 
			 2003 813 16.48 
			 2004 1,302 26.39 
			 2005 882 17.88 
			
			  West Midlands   
			 2001 639 12.13 
			 2002 776 14.73 
			 2003 592 11.24 
			 2004 704 13.37 
			 2005 734 13.94 
			
			  Yorkshire and Humberside   
			 2001 246 4.95 
			 2002 334 6.72 
			 2003 528 10.63 
			 2004 695 13.99 
			 2005 1,161 23.37 
			
			  England   
			 2001 4,665 9.49 
			 2002 5,547 11.28 
			 2003 6,341 12.89 
			 2004 7,993 16.25 
			 2005 7,578 15.41 
			 Source:  Health Protection Agency

Hospital Provision (South-east)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her future plans are for hospitals in each council area in the new regional health authority area for the South East; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The south eastern area of England is now covered by two strategic health authorities: NHS South East Coast (covering Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Medway) and NHS South Central (covering Thames Valley, Hampshire and Isle of Wight). It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

Incoming Hospital Telephone Calls

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made with regard to the cost of incoming hospital telephone calls provided by Patientline, Premier and Hospital Telephone Services for those who are unable to pay.

Rosie Winterton: Bedside televisions and telephones represent an enhanced service, providing additional choice for patients.
	Incoming callers who are unable to pay for the incoming call charge to the bedside telephone can still get a message to the patient via the nurse station as they have always been able to do in the past.

Information Technology

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 14 July 2006,  Official Report, column 2159W, on information technology, what  (a) the services covered by the contracts and projects added to the original scope of the programme and  (b) the additional services beyond the scope of the core national contracts were; why these services and associated costs were not expected when the national programme was originally procured; whether she expects to spend additional money on (i) the services covered by the contracts and projects added to the original scope of the programme and (ii) the additional services beyond the scope of the core national contracts in future years; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The contracts and projects added to the original scope of the national programme were for the provision of a secure email and directory service for national health service staff, including its associated relay service and archive facility, and for the provision of central data stores required for picture archiving and communications systems (PACS).
	The additional services beyond the scope of the original national core contracts comprised the provision of extra capacity in connections within the new national broadband network (N3); additional services under choose and book to support new policy requirements relating to offering patients requiring planned hospital care booked appointments from a choice of hospitals; and support for systems integration, for example to enable suppliers of information technology to NHS organisations to test the integration of their software with the spine.
	All of these additions, which are itemised and described in the National Audit Office's (IMAO's) report, were either as a result of decisions to extend the scope of the programme taken subsequent to the original procurement phase, to respond to the consequences of policy changes affecting its delivery, or to deal with unforeseen technical challenges arising in the course of implementation.
	As the NAO report also makes clear, except for the provision of extra capacity for N3, for which expenditure is dependent on demand, all of the additions are the subject of fixed-price contracts which mean that they will not require additional expenditure, although contractors will be paid less if they fail to deliver in line with their contracts.

Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the vacancy for a permanent chair of Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust to be advertised.

Andy Burnham: The Secretary of State has delegated the appointment of Chairs of national health service trusts to the NHS Appointments Commission. I have asked Sir William Wells, Chairman of the NHS Appointments Commission, to write direct to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Learning and Development

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what continued funding is planned for the Government's commitment to lifelong learning for the NHS workforce.

Andy Burnham: Funding for continuing professional development and lifelong learning for the national health service workforce is included as part of the baseline allocation to strategic health authorities (SHAs). How it is allocated is for individual SHAs to determine locally in relation to their workforce planning strategies.

Long-term Conditions (Needs' Assessments)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what measures are in place to assess the care needs of individuals with long-term and fluctuating conditions;
	(2)  what steps she is taking to ensure that individuals with long-term fluctuating conditions are adequately assessed;
	(3)  what percentage of individuals at the early stages of long-term fluctuating conditions receive social care.

Ivan Lewis: The national health service and social services Departments across the country work together, and with other stakeholders, to deliver high quality, timely and integrated care to those people who need it using the substantial extra resources made available to them by this Government and in accordance with the principles set out in the documents Supporting people with long term conditions and The national service framework for long term conditions. Both documents are available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCare Topics/LongTermConditions/fs/en.
	The assessment of needs is the responsibility of professionals and care staff who are accountable to their employers arid in most cases subject to professional regulation. Health and social care systems are inspected by the independent Healthcare Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection respectively.
	Information on the number of individuals at the early stages of long-term fluctuating conditions who receive social care is not available.

McKinsey and Company

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the financial value is of work commissioned in each of the last three years by  (a) her Department and  (b) other NHS organisations and agencies with McKinsey and Co.; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The total amount spent by the Department with McKinsey and Co. in the financial years 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2005-06 is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Expenditure (000s) 
			 2003-04 0 
			 2004-05 240 
			 2005-06 2,865 
		
	
	The Department does not collect information from the national health service or agencies on this type of expenditure. NHS organisations account separately for their financial performance, publishing their own set of annual financial accounts.

Mental Health

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information health trusts routinely provide to the police on people in the community who are mentally ill and have a history of violent behaviour.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not passed routinely from health trusts to the police. When individuals are considered a risk to others, they become subject to the provisions of multi-agency public protection panels set up by the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.

Mental Health

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed as having mental illness in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the annual cost of  (a) secure and  (b) other residential mental health treatment in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the requested format. Annual surveys of investment in mental health services covering 2001-02 to 2005-06, which are available on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/mentalhealth, provide information on planned expenditure on various inpatient and residential mental health service provision including secure and high dependency services.

Mental Health

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was given to each mental health care trust in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 16 June 2006,  Official Report, Column 1555W.

Mental Health

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce an offence for workers ill-treating or neglecting someone with mental health problems or learning disabilities in their care.

Rosie Winterton: Section 127 of the Mental Health Act 1983 already makes it an offence for people to ill-treat or wilfully neglect patients under their care. We would expect the employer to report such matters to the police or to take disciplinary action depending on the severity of the abuse or neglect. The ill-treatment or neglect of a patient is a matter which the regulatory bodies would take seriously whoever reported the matter to them.

Mental Health

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many initial hospital orders have been made under section 37 of the Mental Health Act for each category of mental disorder in each of the last five years; and how many of the initial orders were renewed under section 20 for each category of mental disorder in each year.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not available in the requested format.
	Some information is available in relation to inpatients who were formally detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983, between 1994-95 and 2004-05, from the detained patients bulletin at
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/inpatientdetmha94to05/mhbulletin/file.
	Some information is also available about guardianship under the Mental Health Act 1983 from the guardianship bulletin at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/icpublication.2006-01-04.5354930463/04117869.pdf.file.

Mental Health

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her plans for mental health funding.

Rosie Winterton: Funding for mental health is allocated directly to primary care trust (PCTs). It is for PCTs, in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services. The 2005-06 national survey of investment in mental health services, which is available on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/13/50/11/04135011.pdf, shows that between 2001-02 and 2005-06 planned expenditure on mental health services by national health service organisations and local authorities has increased in real terms by 25 per cent.

Mental Health

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to improve child and adult mental health services.

Ivan Lewis: Improving child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is one of the priorities for this Government, as emphasised by the public service agreement standard of a comprehensive CAMHS in every area of England. This commitment to improve CAMHS has been backed by significant additional funding, over 300 million over the three years 2003-04 to 2005-06.
	The CAMHS module of the children's national service framework for England (published September 2004) sets the framework for CAMHS for the next 10 years. It sets the standard that all children and young people, from birth to their 18th birthday, who have mental health problems and disorders, will have access to timely, integrated, high quality multidisciplinary mental health services to ensure effective assessment, treatment and support, for them, their parents or carers, and other family members.
	Adult mental health services are continuing to implement the national service framework for mental health in order to improve access to effective treatment and care, reduce unfair variation, raise standards, and provide quicker and more convenient services. In line with the targets set in the NHS Plan 343 crisis resolution, 262 assertive outreach and 109 early intervention teams were established in England at the end of March 2005. On the same day, 1,520 community gateway, 654 carer support and 648 graduate workers were in post.
	Progress is also being made towards meeting the Department's public service agreement target to reduce the death rate from suicide and undetermined injury by at least 20 per cent. by 2010. The rate is now 6.6 per cent. below the baseline.

Mental Health

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many young people aged under 25 years are placed in adult mental health units in England.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not collected on the number of 18 to 25-year-olds placed in adult mental health units nor in the exact format requested.
	In the period from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2006 in England, patients aged 17 or under spent 26,659 occupied bed days on adult psychiatric wards.

Mesothelioma

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what palliative treatment is available to patients with mesothelioma.

Rosie Winterton: The palliative treatment offered to a patient with mesothelioma will depend on their individual condition. The treatment patients should be offered is a matter for the clinical judgment of the physician responsible for their care.

Methyl Bromide

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has made to supermarket chains in relation to their food procurement policies for produce treated with methyl bromide.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	There have been no such representations because, under the Montreal protocol, the use of methyl bromide has been banned in developed countries since 2005 except for quarantine and pre-shipment purposes and critical uses agreed by parties to the protocol. A similar ban comes into force in developing countries in 2015.
	Methyl bromide is an ozone depleting substance and the Government's policy is only to support further UK critical uses where lack of availability would cause significant market disruption and there are no technical or economically feasible alternatives.

Midwives

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacant midwives' posts there are in  (a) Wakefield West and  (b) Eastern Wakefield primary care trust.

Rosie Winterton: As at March 2005, there were no vacant midwives posts at Wakefield West primary care trust (PCT) and Eastern Wakefield PCT. Data for 2006 is not yet available.

Midwives

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students entered midwifery training in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Midwifery training commissions academic year 
			   Number of commissions 
			 1996-97 659 
			 1997-98 796 
			 1998-99 852 
			 1999-2000 1,015 
			 2000-01 1,098 
			 2001-02 1,146 
			 2002-03 1,433 
			 2003-04 1,469 
			 2004-05 1,639 
			 2005-06 1,559 
			  Source:  Strategic health authority quarterly monitoring returns

Midwives

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many newly qualified midwives have been employed in the NHS in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Midwives

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwife posts are vacant in  (a) Barnsley Primary Care Trust and  (b) Doncaster West Primary Care Trust.

Andy Burnham: As at 31 March 2005, there were no vacant midwife posts in Barnsley Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Doncaster West PCT. Figures for 2006 are not yet available.

Midwives

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the attrition rate was for student midwives in each academic year since 1997; what research she has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the rate; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Information for England on the percentage of pre-registration midwifery students who have left their university course is shown in the table. Each year represents an intake year. A complete measure of attrition for a cohort of students will include withdrawal figures for each year of their programme. No data are available for 2001-02. The attrition data for the 2002-03 academic year onwards administered by the higher education statistics agency are in the process of being analysed by the health services information centre.
	
		
			   Percentage of midwives failing to complete courses 
			 1997-98 18.23 
			 1998-99(1) 17.17 
			 1999-2000(1) 14.59 
			 2000-01(1) 6.7 
			 (1) The data are not complete as they do not include withdrawal rates for each year of the course for the intake year specified. 
		
	
	The Department has commissioned a small piece of research to determine the degree to which the main factors that are correlated with attrition rates are being actively managed by strategic health authorities and higher education institutes (HEIs); and to discover examples of good evidence based practice. This will enable a good practice guide to be compiled to assist strategic health authorities and HEIs with reducing attrition rates. The research is not evaluating the rates of attrition across all HEIs nor is it solely looking at midwifery attrition.

Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make representations to Milton Keynes primary care trust to encourage it to reverse  (a) the proposed reductions in (i) mental health day and (ii) drug and alcohol services and  (b) the decision to close the memory screening clinic.

Caroline Flint: It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans Milton Keynes primary care trust has to remove funding for the posts of  (a) a full-time consultant clinical psychologist and  (b) the clinical assistant to consultant clinical psychologist at the Oakhill Secure Training Centre in Milton Keynes.

Rosie Winterton: It is for primary care trusts in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

Special Advisers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid in  (a) salary,  (b) travelling expenses,  (c) subsistence allowance and  (d) removal expenses to special advisers in her private office in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the names and overall cost of special advisers and the number in each payband. For information relating to the last financial year I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on 21 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 158-61WS.
	Information on special advisers for this financial year is currently being collected and will be published in the normal way when it is ready.
	The Department's special advisers incurred the following costs for travel and subsistence in the last two financial years:
	
		
			   Travel and subsistence ()  Removal expenses 
			 2004-05 1,541.07 0 
			 2005-06 366.38 0 
		
	
	It is not possible to separately identify travel and subsistence.
	Due to system changes, access to earlier figures would incur disproportionate cost.

Minor Injuries Units

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of patients treated at minor injuries units in  (a) England and  (b) the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire strategic health authority area were admitted after suffering an accident on a road-side pavement in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not centrally available.

MMR Vaccination

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were vaccinated with the MMR jab in each  (a) London primary care trust and  (b) London strategic health authority in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: Immunisation data by primary care trust, strategic health authorities and nationally are published annually in the statistical bulletin NHS Immunisation Statistics, England which includes London, which is available in the Library.

Morbidity

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what surveys of morbidity for each primary care trust in England are undertaken by her Department.

Andy Burnham: Surveys of morbidity at primary care trust (PCT) level are not conducted centrally by the Department, national survey usually have samples large enough to report at regional level. The Information Centre for Health and Social Care collects data prevalence of 11 disease areas (coronary heart disease, left ventricular dysfunction, stroke and transient ischaemic attack, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, epilepsy, hypothyroidism, cancer, mental health and asthma) at PCT level through the quality and outcomes framework. Further information is available from The Information Centre for Health and Social Care's website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/services/qof/data/.

MS Treatment

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many nurses have been employed specifically to treat sufferers of multiple sclerosis in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what assessment she has carried out of the availability of specialist multiple sclerosis nurses within the NHS; and what plans she has for specialist nursing provision in respect of multiple sclerosis.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not collected centrally on specific nursing specialties. Work force planning is a matter for local determination, based on service need.

MS Treatment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she is considering  (a) new proposals for the inspection of charitable multiple sclerosis treatment centres offering oxygen therapies and  (b) a revised charging structure; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: We are not considering any such proposals.
	The Healthcare Commission consulted on the level of regulatory fees to be paid by private and voluntary healthcare providers in 2006-07 between November 2005 and February 2006. It received and considered over 100 responses, most from small businesses and voluntary organisations, including multiple sclerosis therapy centres offering hyperbaric oxygen therapy. I recently approved the Healthcare Commission's proposals for revised fees. The Commission wrote to providers on 11 July with details of the new fees, which will come into effect on 1 August. There is no increase in the annual fee of 1,566 payable by providers using type 3 hyperbaric oxygen chambers. Any new providers of this type of therapy registering with the Healthcare Commission for the first time will pay a registration fee of 907, increased from 648 in 2005-06.

NHS Direct

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls to NHS Direct about access to an NHS dentist there were in each month since April 2005 in England, broken down by  (a) emergency,  (b) urgent and  (c) other calls.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not currently available for the complete period requested. However, information for the month that complete data are currently available from all NHS Direct sites is shown in the table.
	
		
			  NHS Direct dental calls by type for May 2005 
			   Number 
			 Total 19,956 
			 Emergency 1,643 
			 Urgent 2,712 
			 Routine(1) 13,101 
			 Other (not known) 2,500 
			 (1) Routine includes calls requesting routine information only about where to find a dentist and calls requesting routine dental health advice and information about where to find a dentist.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care 
		
	
	Since June 2005, a number of NHS Direct sites have been unable for technical reasons to report the information requested centrally.
	NHS Direct are in the process of correcting this technical issue and expect to be in a position to provide the full information requested by October.

NHS Direct

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on proposed redundancies at NHS Direct at Caterham.

Rosie Winterton: NHS Direct began a 12-week consultation period with staff and staff side representatives on 16 May 2006 on proposals to ensure that its organisational structure, estates and staffing are fit for purpose to meet future developments and demand. The consultation period is due to end on 16 August 2006. The outcomes of the consultation will be made in due course.

NHS Expenditure

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of total NHS expenditure in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2008 and  (c) 2010 is expected to be budgeted for (i) invoicing, (ii) accounting for and auditing individual patient treatments, (iii) making and monitoring contracts and (iv) marketing and advertising; and what the comparable figures were in (A) 1996, (B) 1998, (C) 2000, (D) 2001 and (E) 2004.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cumulative breakeven position was in 2005 for each NHS organisation in London as reported in the final accounts of national health service trusts.

Andy Burnham: The latest year for which audited data on the financial position of national health service organisations is available is 2004-05.
	The financial position of all NHS organisations in London is shown in the following table. The data given is the break-even cumulative position of NHS trusts.
	
		
			  2004-05 NHS trust break-even cumulative position 
			   000 
			 Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 20 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust (19,564) 
			 Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (757) 
			 Barts and The London NHS Trust (1,054) 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 28,754 
			 Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust 2,447 
			 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 5,392 
			 Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust (164) 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust (375) 
			 East London and The City Mental Health NHS Trust 235 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust (1,736) 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust 1,771 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust (18,384) 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust (3,766) 
			 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 75 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust (65) 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 282 
			 North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 333 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust (5,360) 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust (13,546) 
			 Oxleas NHS Trust 1,243 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust (8,942) 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust (6,512) 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust (3,165) 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust (3,769) 
			 South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (339) 
			 South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 401 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust (23,596) 
			 St Mary's NHS Trust (4,570) 
			 Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust 54 
			 The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust (1,295) 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust (6,646) 
			 The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust (1,500) 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust (1,353) 
			 West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust (4,943) 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 63 
			  (610,539) 
			  Note: 2004-05 data does not include information relating to NHS foundation trusts.  Source: Audited NHS Trust summarisation schedules 2004-05.

NHS Finance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances  (a) primary care trusts and  (b) social services departments pay the full cost of the care they commission; and what steps she is taking to ensure this is the case.

Andy Burnham: This is dependent on the terms on which commissioners have contracted with providers locally. The payment by results (PbR) system will help to ensure a fairer and more consistent basis for paying national health service trusts and foundation trusts. Funding is negotiated locally or through national procurement exercises for services outside the scope of PbR, including all NHS services commissioned from independent and voluntary sector providers. In contracting for services outside the scope of PbR the onus is on the provider to reflect the full cost of these in their pricing and recover from the responsible primary care trust or social services department in accordance with the agreed contract terms.

NHS Finance

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the total health service expenditure in  (a) Hillingdon and  (b) Greater London was spent directly on (i) health care, (ii) administration and (iii) prescriptions in each of the last 10 years.

Andy Burnham: The table shows data for 1998-98 to 2004-05, which are the earliest and latest years for which this information is available. Data given are the purchase of health care and expenditure on administration and prescribing costs by primary care trusts (PCTs), health authorities (HAs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs). Hillingdon expenditure is the expenditure by Hillingdon HA for 1998-99 and 1999-2000, by Hillingdon HA and Hillingdon PCT for 2000-01 to 2001-02, and by Hillingdon PCT for 2002-03 to 2004-05. London expenditure is the expenditure by the previous HAs, current and previous PCTs and the previous five SHAs within the London area.
	
		
			  Expenditure in Hillingdon and London 
			  000 
			   Purchase of health care  Administration  Prescribing costs 
			  1998-99
			 Hillingdon 158,465 4,272 12,526 
			 London 5,207,554 124,105 288,496 
			 
			  1999-2000
			 Hillingdon 178,341 2,922 20,337 
			 London 5,944,972 139,267 631,696 
			 
			  2000-01
			 Hillingdon 152,255 6,256 23,308 
			 London 6,592,827 128,783 675,341 
			 
			  2001-02
			 Hillingdon 205,102 7,167 25,036 
			 London 7,329,212 186,883 728,603 
			 
			  2002-03
			 Hillingdon 209,492 n/a 26,846 
			 London 8,201,210 n/a 787,224 
			 
			  2003-04
			 Hillingdon 237,232 7,993 29,342 
			 London 8,749,018 342,751 861,691 
			 
			  2004-05
			 Hillingdon 269,946 4,366 32,072 
			 London 9,954,274 193,796 920,187 
			  Notes:  1. Prescribing coststhe Prescription Pricing Authority accounted for an element of prescribing costs in 1998-99; it is not possible to include this expenditure. Prescribing costs are also included within the purchase of health care expenditure. 2. Administrationfigures relating to administration costs are not available for 2002-03. The method of calculating administration costs was changed for 2004-05. 3. Figures shown for purchase of health care are not the total expenditure, because expenditure accounted for by the Dental Practice Board and Prescription Pricing Authority is excluded. This expenditure cannot be included within figures for individual health bodies as they are not included in commissioner accounts.  Sources: Audited annual accounts of London health authorities 1998-99. Audited London health authority summarisation forms 1999-2000 to 2001-02. Audited London strategic health authority summarisation forms 2002-03 to 2004-05. Audited London primary care trust summarisation schedules 2000-01 to 2004-05. Annual financial returns of London strategic health authorities and primary care trusts 2004-05.

NHS Finance

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the year-end financial position was for  (a) Hillingdon Hospital,  (b) the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust and  (c) Hillingdon Primary Care Trust in each of the last five financial years.

Andy Burnham: The data requested are shown in the table.
	
		
			  000 
			   Final outturn surplus/(deficit) 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Hillingdon Hospital National Health Service Trust 22 20 (963) 23 2,212 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 50 20 6 (3,217) 3,240 
			 Hillingdon Primary Care Trust 4 22 (672) (13,470) (36,506)

NHS Marketing

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of  (a) the extent of the establishment of marketing departments in the NHS as a consequence of the extension of patient choice and  (b) the extent to which NHS providers are asserting their intellectual property rights over specialisms rather than sharing their expertise as a consequence of the new commercial environment.

Andy Burnham: The Department has made no assessment of the extent of the establishment of marketing departments in the national health service nor the extent to which NHS providers are asserting their intellectual property rights.
	The Department has set out in the 'Operating Framework for 2006/07' the importance of patients and the public having access to reliable information about the services available to them, so that they can exercise informed choice. NHS trusts must decide upon a suitable level of marketing activity which should present accurate and fair information about services and must follow statutory guidelines, such as the advertising standards authority code. The Department will be consulting on a code of practice for marketing services to NHS patients.
	The NHS plan commits the NHS to ensuring that new technologies are identified and developed in the interests of NHS patients and society as a whole. The Department published 'A Framework and Guidance on the Management of Intellectual Property in the NHS', which became operational on 9 September 2002.

NHS Senior Staff

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS senior staff have resigned from NHS trusts within North Staffordshire in the last 12 months; and where in the UK they have indicated that they are taking new jobs.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally.

NHS Trust Turnaround Teams

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to which NHS trusts turnaround teams were sent during the last 12 months; when the review and audit took place; which company undertook the review and audit; and what the total cost of the review and audit was in each case  (a) to the NHS,  (b) to the trust and  (c) to other contributors.

Andy Burnham: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State announced the turnaround teams in a written ministerial statement on 1 December 2005,  Official Report, column 37WS.
	The first stage of this is a baseline assessment, the aim of which is to ensure there is an agreed understanding of the local financial problem and that actions are in hand to address this. The contract for the baseline assessment which took place during December 2005 (phase 1) and February 2006 (phase 2) was awarded to consultants KPMG
	The following national health service trusts were assessed by KPMG:
	
		
			  Organisation  Phase  Ranking 
			  North East   
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust 1 3 
			 Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT) 1 3 
			 South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust 1 3 
			
			  North West   
			 Cheshire West PCT 1 1 
			 North Cumbria NHS Trust 2 1 
			 North Cumbria PCT 2 1 
			 Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust 1 2 
			 East Cheshire NHS Trust 1 2 
			 The Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 1 2 
			 Morecambe Bay NHS Trust 2 3 
			 Morecambe Bay PCT 2 3 
			
			  Yorkshire and the Humber   
			 Sheffield North PCT 1 1 
			 Sheffield South East PCT 1 1 
			 Sheffield South West PCT 1 1 
			 Sheffield West PCT 1 1 
			 Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 
			 Selby and York PCT 1 1 
			 Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale PCT 2 2 
			 Yorkshire Wolds and Coast PCT 2 2 
			 Barnsley PCT 2 4 
			
			  East Midlands   
			 United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 2 1 
			 High Peak and Dales PCT 2 2 
			
			  West Midlands   
			 George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust 1 1 
			 South Warwickshire NHS Trust 2 1 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust 1 1 
			 University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 1 1 
			 Royal Wolverhampton Hospital NHS Trust 1 2 
			 Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust 1 2 
			 North Stoke PCT 1 2 
			 Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust 1 3 
			
			  East of England   
			 Cambridge City PCT 1 2 
			 South Cambridgeshire PCT 1 2 
			 Colchester PCT 2 2 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust 1 2 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 1 2 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 1 2 
			 North Norfolk PCT 2 3 
			 Waveney PCT 2 3 
			 Broadlands PCT 1 3 
			 Southern Norfolk PCT 1 3 
			 Suffolk West PCT 1 3 
			 Ipswich PCT 1 3 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 1 3 
			 Essex Rivers NHS Trust 2 3 
			 Princess Alex Harlow NHS Trust 2 3 
			 Suffolk Coastal PCT 1 3 
			 Bedford Hospitals NHS Trust 1 3 
			 Bedfordshire Heartlands PCT 1 3 
			 Witham, Braintree and Halstead Care PCT 1 3 
			 Chelmsford PCT 1 3 
			 Tendring PCT 2 4 
			
			  London   
			 Mayday Hospital NHS Trust 2 1 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 
			 Hillingdon PCT 1 1 
			 St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust 1 2 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 1 2 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 1 2 
			 Royal Free NHS Trust 2 2 
			 Hounslow PCT 1 2 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 1 2 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust 1 2 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 1 2 
			 Bexley PCT 2 2 
			 Kingston PCT 2 2 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 1 3 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 1 3 
			 Wandsworth PCT 1 3 
			 Lewisham PCT 2 3 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 1 4 
			 Bromley PCT 2 4 
			
			  South East Coast   
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 1 1 
			 Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust 1 1 
			 The Royal West Sussex NHS Trust 1 1 
			 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 2 2 
			 Maidstone Weald PCT 2 2 
			 South West Kent PCT 2 2 
			 Guildford and Waverley PCT 2 2 
			 East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey PCT 2 2 
			 Ashford and St. Peters NHS Trust 2 3 
			
			  South Central   
			 Blackwater Valley and Hart PCT 1 2 
			 East Hampshire PCT 1 2 
			 Fareham and Gosport PCT 1 2 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 1 2 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust 1 2 
			 North Hampshire PCT 2 3 
			 New Forest PCT 1 3 
			 Isle of Wight NHS Trust 2 3 
			 Isle of Wight PCT 2 3 
			 North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust 1 4 
			
			  South West   
			 Kennet and North Wiltshire PCT 1 1 
			 West Wiltshire PCT 1 1 
			 Weston Area Health NHS Trust 2 1 
			 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust 2 1 
			 Dacorum PCT 2 1 
			 Cotswold and Vale PCT 1 2 
			 North Somerset PCT 2 2 
			 North Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 1 3 
			 Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust 2 3 
			 South Wiltshire PCT 1 3 
		
	
	Information on costs is being presented to the Health Select Committee during July and October.

Non-medical Staff (Gloucestershire)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many administrative and managerial staff have been employed by  (a) each of the primary care trusts in Gloucestershire and  (b) the Hospital Trust in Gloucestershire in each year of their existence; what the cost has been of that employment; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The following tables show the amount of administrative and managerial staff employed at all primary care trusts (PCTs) and hospital trusts in Gloucestershire.
	
		
			  Number 
			  PCT name  Cheltenham and Tewkesbury  Cotswold and Vale  West Gloucestershire 
			 2001-02 n/a n/a n/a 
			 2002-03 90 253 209 
			 2003-04 108 284 254 
			 2004-05 144 298 250 
		
	
	
		
			  Primary care trust staff costs: administrative and managers 
			  000 
			  PCT name  Cheltenham and Tewkesbury  Cotswold and Vale  West Gloucestershire 
			  2001-02
			 Administrative n/a n/a n/a 
			 Managers n/a n/a n/a 
			 
			  2002-03
			 Administrative 775 3,512 3,190 
			 Managers 1,100 2,025 991 
			 
			  2003-04
			 Administrative 940 3,565 2,295 
			 Managers 1,541 2,314 1,937 
			 
			 2004-05
			 Administrative 1,450 4,074 2,684 
			 Managers 2,318 3,077 2,608 
		
	
	
		
			  National health service trust staff numbers: administration and estates 
			  Number 
			  NHS trust name  East Gloucestershire  Gloucestershire Hospitals  Gloucestershire Royal  Severn 
			 1998-99 578 n/a 458 349 
			 1999-2000 602 n/a 470 344 
			 2000-01 652 n/a 484 355 
			 2001-02 700 n/a 510 376 
			 2002-03 n/a 992 n/a n/a 
			 2003-04 n/a 1,054 n/a n/a 
			 2004-05 n/a 1,051 n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  NHS trust staff costs: administrative and managers 
			  000 
			  NHS trust name  East Gloucestershire  Gloucestershire Hospitals  Gloucestershire Royal  Severn 
			  1998-99 
			 Administrative 7,472 n/a 9,413 4,586 
			 Managers 2,059 n/a 1,535 1,739 
			  
			  1999-2000 
			 Administrative 8,069 n/a 9,395 4,679 
			 Managers 2,289 n/a 1,654 1,796 
			  
			  2000-01 
			 Administrative 8,850 n/a 10,055 4,724 
			 Managers 2,593 n/a 1,926 2,039 
			  
			  2001-02 
			 Administrative 9,999 n/a 10,905 5,175 
			 Managers 2,934 n/a 2,056 2,200 
			  
			  2002-03 
			 Administrative n/a 17,920 n/a n/a 
			 Managers n/a 5,330 n/a n/a 
			  
			  2003-04 
			 Administrative n/a 19,317 n/a n/a 
			 Managers n/a 5,935 n/a n/a 
			  
			  2004-05 
			 Administrative n/a 5,546 n/a n/a 
			 Managers n/a 1,734 n/a n/a

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) stroke and  (b) heart attack patients have died on the way to hospital in a North West ambulance service NHS trust ambulance in each of the last five years; and how long the journey was in (i) miles and (ii) minutes on each occasion.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not held centrally.

Obesity

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts are not providing medical treatment to patients with a body mass index in excess of 30; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not collect this information.

Osteoporosis

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has evaluated on  (a) the effectiveness of measures to identify patients at risk of osteoporosis and  (b) the treatment of osteoporosis by primary care organisations; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: None. The Department has not commissioned research in this area, nor are we aware that any such research has been undertaken.

Osteoporosis

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost implications of the implementation of the new National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance for the prevention of osteoporatic fractures.

Ivan Lewis: We have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to produce a guideline on the
	assessment of fracture risk and the prevention of osteoporotic fractures in individuals at high risk.
	That work is ongoing. NICE guidelines include a costing report and costing template to provide an implementation tool to estimate the financial impact to the national health service of implementing their clinical guidelines.

Outsourcing

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work her Department has undertaken  (a) to develop a process for primary care trusts, NHS trusts and foundation trusts to assess best value when outsourcing service provision and  (b) to develop criteria for trusts to evaluate work that has been outsourced.

Rosie Winterton: On 13 July, the Department published Health reform in England: update and commissioning framework, which outlines the role of primary care trusts (PCTs) in commissioning services. The framework makes clear that, where provision is either unavailable or failing to meet required standards, PCTs will be encouraged to use open tendering as a way of ensuring innovation, quality, value and choice for patients.
	As set out in the White Paper, Our health, our care, our say, where PCTs provide services they will need to put in place clear governance procedures for commissioning decisions. These procedures will include independent scrutiny by strategic health authorities and should be transparent to all potential contractors and staff.
	Contracts will be the key accountability mechanism between commissioners and providers of national health service services. The Department is consulting on whether to develop a national model contract that commissioners could use as a basis for managing providers' performance, and on the criteria that the model contract might contain.

Overview and Scrutiny Committees

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to change the powers of local authority overview and scrutiny committees; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There are no plans to change the statutory powers of overview and scrutiny committees. A stronger local voice sets out Government's plans for the future of patient and public involvement, which includes encouraging overview and scrutiny committees to focus on how health and social services are commissioned.

Palliative and End of Life Care

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the allocation of 12 million for 2006-07 will be released for the NHS end of life care programme and the gold standards framework in community palliative care.

Rosie Winterton: The Government have provided 12 million of funding for the end of life care programme, to be spread out over the three years from 2004 to 2007. In 2006-07, the funding will be included as part of a block sum for strategic health authorities to manage. To ensure the desired outcomes are achieved, this will be accompanied by a service level agreement.

Parliamentary Questions

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will answer parliamentary written questions  (a) 82270,  (b) 82271,  (c) 82272 and  (d) 82273, on telephones in hospitals, tabled by the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale for answer on 3 July.

Andy Burnham: Replies were given on 24 July and on 18 July,  Official Report, columns 385-86W.

Patient Satisfaction (London)

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the London strategic health authorities have been requested to produce an action plan to ensure an increased level of patient satisfaction with their perception of levels of care.

Andy Burnham: The London strategic health authority (SHA) has commissioned a study to establish the public perception of the national health service in London and intends to use the results to target areas for improved performance.
	The action to commission a study was contained in the SHA's Chief Executive's report to the first public board meeting on 10 July.

Personal Bedside Telephone Services

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has reviewed the findings of the survey undertaken by Patient and Public Involvement Forums into the costs associated with personal bedside telephone services in NHS hospitals; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has set up a review group to explore the issue of costs to users of the bedside television and telephone systems in national health service hospitals. The patient and public involvement forums findings will form part of the review group's work.

Practice Allowance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she has made in establishing an expanding practice allowance.

Rosie Winterton: We are currently working with NHS Employers to develop the new allowance proposed in paragraph 3.33 of the White Paper Our Health Our Care Our Say.

Prostate Cancer

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures her Department has put in place to improve the delivery of information to prostate cancer sufferers about relevant cancer support.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is clear about the need for all cancer patients to be able to access up-to-date and accessible information about their condition and that is why we are working closely with cancer charities to improve services. This is being facilitated by the coalition for cancer information, set up by the Department in 2002 bringing together key organisations to develop a coordinated approach to provision and dissemination of information.
	In March 2004, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidance on supportive and palliative care. One of its recommendations included the provision of high quality information to patients. The cancer services collaborative Improvement Partnership national patient information programme is supporting cancer networks to implement this guidance. This work will ensure that as part of their on-going cancer care, cancer patients and their carers will be offered high-quality information materials, tailored to their individual needs, at appropriate stages in their care pathways. The recent White Paper, Our health, our care, our say, stated that by 2008. everyone with a long term condition (and their carers) will receive an information prescription to signpost them to sources of information, support and advice.
	Decisions about treatment for prostate cancer can often be difficult and complicated. The first phase of the action on urology implementation of decision aids for urological cancers pilot programme ended in 2005. The pilot was designed to implement the use of decision aids for men with prostate cancer into routine practice in the national health service. The programme found that patients and professionals found the decision aids helpful in supporting the decision-making process. The second phase of the programme has now begun, aiming to enhance effectiveness before national roll-out take place. Six pilot sites are involved in the second phase.

Public Appointments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public appointments are within her patronage; what  (a) salary and  (b) other emoluments are attached to each; and what the comparable figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1996.

Andy Burnham: Details of the public appointments to public bodies sponsored by the Department can be found in 'Public Bodies', copies of which are in the Library. 'Public Bodies' has been published annually since 1980 and the most recent edition provides figures for 2005. Each edition of 'Public Bodies' contains details on the number of public appointments and remuneration details for that particular year. Comparable information for 1976 in respect of the Department could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Details of the remuneration for the public bodies sponsored by the Department for 2006 may be found under 'People in Post 2006' at:
	www.appointments.org.uk/publications.asp
	No public appointments to bodies sponsored by the Department attract emoluments beyond the daily fee or remuneration referred to.

Reconfigurations

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patient and public involvement forums have objected to proposed re-configurations of hospitals and hospital services in each year since 2003.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Religious Issues

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her Department's list of organisations consulted on religious issues affecting matters concerning her Department, what assessment she has made of the extent to which the Network of Buddhist Organisations is representative of that faith's adherents; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has made no such assessment. The Network of Buddhist Organisations is one of a range of faith organisations that the Department consults with on relevant issues. For example, the Network of Buddhist Organisations is a member of independently formed multi-faith group which the Department maintains close contact with as part of our commitment to a multi-faith approach to NHS Chaplaincy.

Rural Health Services

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of rural households had access to primary health care facilities within 4 km, not including mobile provision and branch services, in each year since 1997.

Andy Burnham: This information is not held centrally by the Department.

Sheppey Community Hospital

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1568W, on Sheppey community hospital, if she will clarify when the new x-ray scanner will be installed and operational.

Caroline Flint: The NHS South East Coast has advised that at a meeting held on 12 July at Sheppey hospital, details for the installation of the new X-ray scanner were finalised. An agreement was reached to dismantle the old equipment during the week commencing 17 July 2006 and it is anticipated that installation of the new machine will start once this has been completed. Installation will take around three weeks from start to finish.

Silver Alloy Catheters

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients with relevant conditions use silver alloy catheters; and what savings have been identified as a result of their use.

Andy Burnham: The data requested are not collected centrally.
	The ultimate decision on which type of catheter is used for patients is a clinical one. Recently updated guidelines(1) commissioned by the Department indicate that further properly conducted trials are required to obtain definitive conclusions on the cost effectiveness of these catheters.
	(1 )The epic project. Updating the evidence base for national evidence based guidelines for preventing health care associated infections in NHS hospital in England: a report with recommendations. Pellowe CM, Pratt RJ, Loveday HP, Harper P, Robinson N, Jones SRLJ. Brit J Infect Control 2004; 5: 10-16.

Sir Alistair Graham

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to Question 80515, how many days a year were expected from Sir Alistair Graham as a member of the  (a) NHS Appointments Commission and  (b) West Yorkshire strategic health authority.

Andy Burnham: Sir Alistair Graham would have been expected to work in the order of 150 days a year for each of the NHS Appointments Commission and the West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority. These appointments did not run concurrently.

Skipton Fund

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1816, on the Skipton Fund, whether  (a) a panel has been appointed to hear appeals to the Skipton Fund and  (b) a timetable has been set for the commencement of appeals to the Skipton Fund; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The NHS Appointments Commission (NHSAC) will be interviewing further candidates for the Skipton Fund appeals panel at the end of this month, as no applications for two of the positions had been received by the original closing date. The recommendations of the interviewing panel will then be forwarded for consideration by the NHSAC board. Once the panel has been appointed, the timetable for hearing appeals will be arranged by the panel chair and the secretariat.

Small Acute Hospitals

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made since the Department published its policy guidance entitled Keeping the NHS LocalA New Direction of Travel in respect of the protection and enhancement of small acute hospitals located remotely from larger district general hospitals.

Andy Burnham: Following Keeping the NHS Local the Department has worked to support strategic health authorities (SHAs) in their work with the local national health service in designing new models of service within the policy framework, especially about undertaking effective public engagement and consultation.
	More recently the director of programmes and performance at the Department wrote to SHAs on 16 February 2006 reminding them of the policy position set out in the White Paper Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services, specifically 6.42 which said that
	community facilities should not be lost in response to short-term budgetary pressures that are not related to the viability of the community facility itself.

Small Acute Hospitals

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many small acute hospitals have been  (a) subject to a withdrawal of emergency facilities,  (b) subject to a reduction of acute facilities,  (c) closed,  (d) proposed for closure,  (e) subject to an overall closure in emergency facilities and  (f) subject to an overall closure in acute facilities since the publication of the policy guidance Keeping the NHS LocalA New Direction of Travel.

Andy Burnham: This information is not held by the Department.

Stipendiary Chaplains

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time stipendiary chaplains are working in the national health service in England; how many are (i) Christian, (ii) Jewish, (iii) Muslim, (iv) Hindu, (v) Sikh, and (vi) of other religions; and what the total cost was to public funds of providing NHS chaplaincy services in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect data on NHS hospital chaplaincy.

Sunglasses

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what action her Department  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take to encourage the wearing of sunglasses;
	(2)  what research her Department has commissioned into the effects on eye health in  (a) adults and  (b) children of wearing sunglasses.

Caroline Flint: The Health Protection Agency's (then national radiological protection board) advisory group on non-ionising radiation (AGNIR) produced a report in 2002 on the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on human health, which included advice on effects on the eye. The main source of UVR for the majority of people is the sun.
	There has been no specific action taken and there are no plans to encourage the wearing of sunglasses, as the advice is not straightforward. The executive summary of the AGNIR report includes the following advice. The eyes can be protected by wearing a hat, eyeshades and using sunglasses that exclude both direct and reflected UVR. It is important that theses sunglasses include wraparound protection. Sunglasses fitted with small lenses offer inadequate protection and may actually increase risk of eye damage as they can cause dilation of the pupils and allow the entry of more UVR into the eye from around the periphery of the sunglasses.
	The United Kingdom SunSmart Campaign, run by Cancer Research UK and funded by the Department also has advice about eye protections from the sun.

Third Sector Care

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of her Department's expenditure in 2006-07 is expected to be spent on treatments and care provided by the third sector; and what that figure is expected to be by 2009.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not available centrally.

Third Sector Care

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of staff her Department expects to move across to the third sector from their current employment with the NHS by the end of 2010.

Rosie Winterton: As we noted in 'Health Reform in England: update and commissioning framework', published on 13 July 2006, many third sector providers are vital partners in delivery of care. Our policy is to support greater participation by third sector organisations where they can help deliver better services with better value for money.
	We are taking forward the conclusions and commitments of the Third Sector Commissioning Task Force. However, the Department has no target or proposals for staff to move from the national health service to the third sector.

Trans Fatty Acids

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) estimated adult intake of trans fatty acids and  (b) recommended maximum threshold for health was in each year that records are available.

Caroline Flint: The most recent data available, from national diet and nutrition survey of adults carried out in 2000-01, show average intakes of trans fatty acids at 1.2 per cent. of food energy. Previous comparable data from 1986-87 show adult average intakes of trans fatty acids at 2.2 per cent, of food energy.
	In 1991, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy recommended that population average intakes of trans fatty acids should not exceed 2 per cent, of food energy. No specific recommendations about the dietary intake of trans fatty acids had been established at the time of the 1986-87 survey.

Trust Reconfiguration

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultations concerning reconfiguration of hospital trusts in England have  (a) been referred to her Department and  (b) subsequently been upheld by her Department in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: There has been one referral from a Community Health Council and 16 primary care trust (PCT) and trust referrals from overview and scrutiny committees to the Secretary of State for Health in relation to contested service reconfigurations. The table sets out the outcome in each case.
	
		
			  Number of referrals  Outcome 
			 1 Referral upheld 
			 1 Proposals withdrawn by PCT in favour of wide-ranging review 
			 4 Ministerial decision to support changes referred for consideration 
			 2 Referred back for national health service and stakeholders to reach local agreement 
			 2 Referred to Independent Reconfiguration Panel for advice 
			 6 Being considered by the Department

vCJD Compensation Scheme

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to ensure that administrative costs paid to Charles Russell solicitors for their administration of the vCJD compensation scheme are kept as low as possible; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The vCJD Trust has appointed the legal firm, Charles Russell, to provide support. The trust is independent of the Department and these arrangements, and their costs, are therefore the responsibility of the trust. Both the Department and the trust agree on the importance of minimising costs wherever possible.

Waiting Lists (Southend)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are on NHS waiting lists in Southend-on-Sea for  (a) elective surgery and  (b) out-patient appointments; what the (i) average and (ii) longest wait was in each case in 2005-06; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Waiting times figures for Southend-on-Sea Primary Care Trust, the latest available are shown in the table.
	
		
			   In-patient  Out-patient 
			 Number on list 3,255 4,094 
			 Longest wait 5-6 months 8-13 weeks 
			 Average wait (weeks) 6.3 6.1 
		
	
	No patients waited longer than six months or 13 weeks.

Ward Sister

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors were taken into account when the decision was made to abolish the post of ward sister; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: There has been no decision to abolish the post of ward sister. Some trusts have chosen to call ward sisters by other names such as charge nurse or ward manager but the core components of the role have remained the same. Ward sisters are at the heart of delivering high quality care to patients in a variety of settings and they have a vital role within nursing.

Written Questions

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many written questions to her Department remain unanswered at 25 July for  (a) between two and four weeks,  (b) between four and six weeks,  (c) between six and eight weeks and  (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer.

Ivan Lewis: This session, we have received over 13,000 questions for written answer. As at today, there are 26 written questions unanswered for between two and four weeks, 11 for between four and six weeks, five for between six and eight weeks, and seven more than eight weeks. None were questions tabled for answer on a named day.

York NHS Trust

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes there were at York NHS Trust  (a) in each specialty and  (b) in total excluding the specialties transferred to Selby and York Primary Care Trust in each year since 1996-97.

Ivan Lewis: The information is not available in the format requested. However, finished consultant episodes at York Hospitals NHS Trust in each specialty are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Main specialty  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998-99  1997-98  1996-97 
			 General surgery 8,972 8,727 8,034 7,440 7,493 7,620 7,618 6,929 7,290 
			 Urology 5,326 5,345 4,817 4,719 4,860 4,432 4,441 4,319 4,390 
			 Trauma and orthopaedics 5,548 5,566 5,158 4,649 4,660 4,468 4,560 4,274 4,375 
			 Ear, nose and throat 2,075 2,041 2,050 2,301 2,193 2,166 2,134 1,833 2,211 
			 Ophthalmology 3,134 2,534 2,290 2,272 2,253 2,288 2,175 1,885 1,923 
			 Oral surgery 1,491 1,409 1,354 1,223 1,244 1,368 1,351 1,268 1,215 
			 Restorative dentistry  7  339 336 333 364 397 422 
			 Plastic surgery   *   
			 Cardiothoracic surgery   *   
			 Accident and emergency 356 1,879 29 *  134 460 731 1,361 
			 Anaesthetics 1,900 16,536 1,882 1,918 1,906 2,292 2,469 2,345 1,174 
			 General medicine 18,003 684 15,561 14,076 12,888 12,002 11,592 10,961 10,604 
			 Haematology (clinical) 991 62 667 824 938 1,391 1,310 1,043 814 
			 Dermatology 49  75 103 127 148 170 113 132 
			 Genito-urinary medicine *   *  
			 Medical oncology 166 165 190 269 348 126 * *  
			 Neurology 508 670 520 510 429 397 404 409 441 
			 Rheumatology 233 256 172 184 190 265 318 351 290 
			 Paediatrics 4,898 4,651 4,124 4,158 3,908 4,168 3,741 3,321 3,291 
			 Geriatric medicine 9,316 7,756 6,160 5,448 5,216 5,021 5,254 4,561 4,311 
			 Gynaecology 10,664 9,738 9,310 9,463 9,312 9,306 13,257 13,471 13,572 
			 General medical practice 1,687 
			 General practice with maternity function  1,631 1,581 1,359 1,648 1,737 493 125 201 
			 General practice other than maternity370 411 437 480 522 519 
			 Mental handicap46 35 40 38 42 76 
			 Mental illness614 686 694 904 874 993 
			 Child adolescent and psychiatry53 50 48 42 44 53 
			 Old age psychiatry612 616 685 663 643 677 
			 Radiotherapy * 
			 Radiology  * *   * *   
			 Chemical pathology 214 40 38 80 80 190 121 72 67 
			 Histopathology  *

York NHS Trust

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent  (a) medical consultants,  (b) other medical staff,  (c) nurses,  (d) other professional staff,  (e) administrative and clerical staff and  (f) auxiliary staff were employed by York NHS Trust in all areas excluding those transferred to Selby and York Primary Care Trust in each year since 1996-97.

Ivan Lewis: The information has been set out in the table.
	
		
			  NHS hospital and community health services: Medical and dental and non-medical staff in York Hospitals NHS Trust by specified staff groups data as at 30 September each year full time equivalent 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 York Hospitals NHS Trust 3,660 3,504 3,517 3,732 3,224 2,842 3,111 3,247 3,302 
			   
			 All HCHS medical and dental staff 261 274 283 281 258 237 294 320 344 
			 Consultant 102 98 110 109 120 113 119 131 149 
			 Other grades 159 176 172 171 138 124 174 189 195 
			   
			 All non-medical staff 3,399 3,230 3,234 3,451 2,967 2,605 2,817 2,927 2,958 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 1,362 1,235 1,268 1,375 1,132 915 948 990 1,023 
			 Other professionally qualified clinical staff 409 431 438 465 344 355 387 402 407 
			 Central functions 166 155 190 208 171 183 196 215 202 
			 Other staff 1,463 1,408 1,338 1,403 1,319 1,153 1,286 1,319 1,327 
			  Sources: 1. The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census 2. The Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census

York NHS Trust

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times for  (a) elective in-patient admissions and  (b) first out-patient appointments were in each specialty at York NHS trust in each year since 1996-97.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Out-patient waiting times for York Health Services Trust 1997 to 2006, median waiting time for first out-patient appointment from a general practitioner referral to a consultant 
			  Weeks 
			  Speciality 
			  Quarter ending March  Anaesthetics  Dermatology  General surgery  Urology  Trauma and orthopaedics  Ear, nose and throat 
			 1997 10.2 4.5 3.9 10.1 11.1 6.3 
			 1998 n/a 6.7 5.9 11.9 10.6 8.2 
			 1999 9.9 9.2 7.6 16.5 13.0 9.5 
			 2000 11.8 8.0 7.3 13.1 14.3 11.7 
			 2001 8.7 7.2 3.9 7.8 13.0 7.0 
			 2002 9.8 10.6 3.5 7.8 10.1 8.8 
			 2003 8.9 10.7 4.8 7.9 11.6 9.6 
			 2004 12.8 7.9 5.5 9.9 7.8 11.7 
			 2005 17.9 7.4 6.3 11.0 8.8 11.9 
			 2006 8.2 6.2 5.9 7.5 6.7 7.0 
		
	
	
		
			  Weeks 
			  Speciality 
			   General medicine  Genito-urinary medicine  Oral surgery  Geriatric medicine  Neurology  Obstetrics and gynaecology (obstetrics A/N) 
			 1997 8.0 n/a 7.2 n/a 12.4 3.3 
			 1998 8.4 n/a 4.1 n/a 11.1 3.3 
			 1999 9.6 n/a 3.8 3.5 18.4 5.8 
			 2000 9.7 n/a 5.0 3.8 13.2 5.5 
			 2001 9.2 n/a 4.2 5.7 19.8 6.4 
			 2002 8.6 2.0 7.0 5.6 30.3 6.3 
			 2003 8.2 2.0 3.8 6.5 13.4 6.6 
			 2004 9.2 2.0 6.1 3.8 14.3 6.7 
			 2005 7.7 2.0 7.5 3.3 11.5 6.4 
			 2006 6.4 2.0 6.8 3.5 7.5 n/a 
		
	
	
		
			  Weeks 
			  Speciality 
			   Obstetrics and gynaecology (gynaecology)  Ophthalmology  Orthodontics  Paediatrics  Rheumatology  Total 
			 1997 3.6 9.3 8.4 7.1 7.8 5.9 
			 1998 4.3 9.9 11.6 8.4 7.3 6.6 
			 1999 7.7 10.6 15.8 5.9 8.4 8.4 
			 2000 8.3 11.5 17.6 7.5 5.5 8.9 
			 2001 3.6 8.8 10.4 6.1 6.0 6.9 
			 2002 3.7 7.9 11.3 6.5 6.8 6.1 
			 2003 3.9 6.9 15.5 6.8 8.5 6.4 
			 2004 5.0 7.8 15.6 5.9 9.9 6.4 
			 2005 3.6 6.8 17.2 6.0 8.3 6.4 
			 2006 3.8 4.8 9.9 7.2 7.9 5.4 
			  Note:  Only includes specialties with over 100 patients  Source:  Department of Health QM08

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Cyprus

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to help bring about the reunification of Cyprus.

Geoff Hoon: We fully support the UN's efforts and welcome the recent agreement between the two leaders on a mechanism for dialogue. We are urging both sides to take advantage of this opportunity, and working within the Security Council to ensure its full support for these efforts.

India

Piara S Khabra: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the UK Government are providing to the relatives of the victims of the bombings in Mumbai and the Government of India in its fight against terrorism.

Ian McCartney: Clearly our thoughts are with the relatives and friends of those killed and injured in these barbaric attacks. Following the explosions the Prime Minister spoke to Dr. Manmohan Singh. Both the PM and our Deputy High Commissioner in Mumbai offered the Indian Government any assistance that might be required in the aftermath of these attacks. We are currently awaiting India's response.

India

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives from the  (a) Indian and  (b) Pakistani Governments regarding the Mumbai bombings.

Kim Howells: UK officials here and in India have been in detailed discussions with the Indian authorities following the bombings. We have made offers of assistance to the Indian Government but to date they have not come back with any specific requests.
	Officials from our High Commission in Islamabad have regular and frequent contact with the Pakistani Government, and have discussed the explosions in Mumbai with them. We welcome their rapid condemnation of these attacks and their offer to the Indian authorities to co-operate in any investigation.

Middle East

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to the Government of Israel on the situation in the Middle East.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is engaged actively in the situation in the Middle East and will be attending the Lebanon Core Group meeting in Rome tomorrow. She has been in regular contact with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni and, in close communication with my right hon. Friend, since Friday 21 July I have attended meetings in Cyprus, Beirut, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Ramallah and Amman.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the prospects for peace in the Middle East.

Kim Howells: Whilst we need an urgent end to the current crisis, real peace can only come through a lasting settlement. Negotiations are manifestly the best way to move the peace process forward. We welcome the commitment given by both Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas to negotiations and have urged both sides to resume talks. We do, however, remain acutely concerned at Syrian and Iranian support for Hizbollah and other extremist groups.

Middle East

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the security situation in the Middle East.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Wright).
	We are gravely concerned by the crisis in the Middle East. This threatens the wider security of the region, and is causing huge civilian suffering on all sides. We are committed to helping resolve this crisis. We want an immediate end to the violence and the release of the Israeli soldiers. Our priority is to create conditions for a credible and sustainable cease-fire.

Middle East

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials have had with the ambassadors of the Government of (i) Syria, (ii) Lebanon and (iii) Iran about Hezbollah terrorists firing rockets into the state of Israel; what reply was received in each case; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been in contact with his Lebanese counterpart to offer his support. As he told the House on 18 July
	I have spoken to the Prime Minister of Lebanon. I think Lebanon is looking for international help. The precise way in which that is used and the implications for its own armed forces are matters for debate. I believe the Prime Minister of Lebanon wants to do the right thing. The people around him are desperate for some stability in their country and they feel very angry that they are caught in the present situation. We should be helping them in any way we can. [Official Report, 18 July 2006, column 168].
	Our ambassador in Beirut has also been in regular contact with the Lebanese Government.
	Our embassy in Damascus has been in contact with Syrian officials and we have also twice summoned the Syrian ambassador in London to pressure Syria to take action in relation to Hezbollah.
	We have had no recent contacts with Iran about Hezbollah but we will keep up the diplomatic pressure on Iran to comply with its international obligations.

Middle East

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) discussions and  (b) representations (i) Ministers and (ii) officials have had with governments of the European Union about Hezbollah terrorism; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: At the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 17 July, EU Foreign Ministers condemned the attacks by Hezbollah on Israel and the abduction of two Israeli soldiers and called for their immediate and unconditional release and for the cessation of all attacks on Israeli towns and cities. They also recalled the need for the Lebanese state to restore its sovereignty over the whole of its national territory and to do its utmost to prevent such attacks, and expressed their support for Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. They also urged the full implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1559 and UNSCR 1680, including disbanding and disarming of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, and strict respect of the sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and political independence of Lebanon. In the past, Ministers and officials have regularly discussed Hezbollah with EU colleagues.
	Both Ministers and officials will continue to work with EU partners towards the cessation of violence in the region.

Middle East

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support she has offered to the high-level UN delegation to the Middle East UN mission; what its aims are; and when its mission will end.

Margaret Beckett: We fully support the UN delegation to the Middle East and are offering the team logistical assistance on the ground. We flew the delegates to and from Beirut from UK airbases. The role of the three person team, led by the UN Secretary-General's Special Political Adviser, Mr. Vijay Nambiar, is to help defuse the major crisis in the region. The other members are UN Envoy for the Middle East Mr. Alvaro de Soto and UN Special Envoy for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1559 (2004) Mr. Terje Roed Larsen. The UN mission will deliver to all parties the UN Secretary-General's call to exercise restraint and to do whatever possible to help contain the conflict. It will also reiterate the UN Secretary-General's message to respect international humanitarian law and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We expect a briefing in the Security Council from Mr. Nambiar on 20 July and to hear from the UN Secretary-General's recommendations on next steps.

Middle East

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Margaret Beckett: We continue to have concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Electricity and water supplies remain irregular. In a statement on 19 July, the Israel Defence Force said it opened two crossings into Gaza. 145 food trucks entered Gaza through the Karni crossing, and 500,000 litres of diesel fuel, 90,000 litres of gasoline and 175 tons of cooking gas were allowed through the Nahal Oz crossing. In addition to this, the Rafah Crossing was opened on 18 July to allow 5,000 Palestinians to cross from Egypt into Gaza.
	We remain fully committed to supporting the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM). The European Community has committed 105 million to the mechanism. The UK intends to contribute up to 12 million. We are aware that several other European countries are considering making contributions. This will enable us to provide support in the health sector, to fund utilities and to give welfare allowances to some of the poorest Palestinians. In line with the commitments made at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg on 16 July and by EU Foreign Ministers on 17 July, we and the European Commission are looking at options to further expand the TIM.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1158-59W, on Israel, whether any information has come to light that  (a) military equipment and  (b) components supplied by the UK have been deployed by Israel during its operations in (i) Gaza since 27 June 2006 and (ii) in Lebanon since 12 July 2006 in a manner consistent with the consolidated criteria.

Geoff Hoon: We have no reports of the use of UK supplied equipment. Our embassy in Tel Aviv continues to monitor the situation in the region closely. All applications for export licences are assessed rigorously on a case by case basis against the Consolidated Criteria taking full account of the prevailing circumstances at the time of application and other relevant announced government policies.

Middle East

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the level of stability in the Middle East; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: We are gravely concerned by the crisis in Lebanon. Syrian and Iranian support for Hezbollah, and other extremist groups, is encouraging extremism, threatening the stability of the region, and putting peace in the Middle East further out of reach. We call on Syria and Iran to stop their support for Hizbollah and end their interference in Lebanese internal affairs in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1680.

Middle East

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on steps the Government are taking to try to bring an end to violence in the Middle East.

Geoff Hoon: Both my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary have been in regular contact with their Israeli, Palestinian and Lebanese counterparts and we are working closely with international partners in the region, and the UN, EU and G8. The framework for resolving these disputes is already established by international consensus. We will remain actively engaged with our international partners to help bring peace to the region.
	We fully support the efforts of the UN team led by Vijay Nambiar and of the EU High Representative Javier Solana who are working hard to broker an end to the conflict. We are offering both teams logistical assistance on the ground. The UN Security Council discussed the crisis on 20 July 2006, and there will be further intense discussion in the coming days.
	We want an immediate end to the violence and the release of the Israeli soldiers. Our priority must be to create conditions to allow a credible and sustainable cease-fire.

Middle East

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the situation in Gaza.

Geoff Hoon: There has been intense international activity to try to bring about a cessation of the current crisis in Gaza and the resumption of negotiations. High-level delegations from both the EU and the UN have been to both Israel and Palestine in the past two weeks. The Governments of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have made strenuous efforts to persuade the militants holding the kidnapped Israeli soldier to release him.
	Whilst we need an urgent end to the current crisis, real peace can only come through a lasting settlement. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear, negotiations are manifestly the best way to move the peace process forward. We welcome the commitment given by both Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas to negotiations and have urged both sides to resume talks as soon as possible. This will require great effort and courage from both sides.
	We are also increasingly concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear our commitment to continue helping the Palestinian people. With a range of partners, we have worked hard to establish the Temporary International Mechanism to help alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. The UK will contribute up to 12 million to the mechanism. The G8 called for an expansion of this mechanism. It also committed to supporting the economic and humanitarian needs of the Lebanese people.

Middle East

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on new mechanisms for funding the Palestinians.

Geoff Hoon: We remain fully committed to supporting the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM). The European Commission has committed 105 million to the mechanism. In addition, the UK intends to contribute up to 12 million. We are aware that several other European countries are considering making contributions. This will enable us to provide support in the health sector, to fund utilities and to give welfare allowances to some of the poorest Palestinians. In line with the commitments made at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg on 16 July and by EU Foreign Ministers on 17 July, we and the European Commission are looking at options to further expand the TIM.

Middle East

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the level of financial support provided by  (a) Iran and  (b) Syria to Hezbollah.

Margaret Beckett: We are very concerned about the role of Syria and Iran in Lebanon. Iran supplies Hizballah with financing and weaponsweapons very similar to those used against British troops in Basraand has personnel in Lebanon assisting Hizbollah. Syria finances Hizballah and facilitates the transfer of arms from Iran to Hizballah.
	Through their support for Hizballah, Iran and Syria are encouraging extremism, threatening the stability of the region, and putting peace in the Middle East further out of reach. We have called on Syria and Iran to stop their support for Hizballah and end their interference in Lebanese internal affairs in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1680.

Middle East

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian consequences in Gaza of  (a) the withholding of the Palestinian tax revenue by Israel and  (b) the suspension of international aid.

Kim Howells: We continue to have serious concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Electricity and water supplies remain irregular. In a statement on 19 July, the Israel Defence Force said it had opened two crossings into Gaza. 145 food trucks entered Gaza through the Kami crossing, and 500,000 litres of diesel fuel, 90,000 litres of gasoline and 175 tons of cooking gas were allowed through the Nahal Oz crossing. In addition to this, the Rafah Crossing was opened on 18 July to allow 5,000 Palestinians to cross from Egypt into Gaza.
	We, along with our EU partners, continue to call upon Israel to transfer the revenue it collects on behalf of the Palestinian people. The withholding of this tax revenue, as well as other factors, adversely affects the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
	Following the Hamas led Palestinian Authority's (PA) failure to commit to the three Quartet principles, the UK and other key donors, suspended direct budgetary assistance to the PA. We remain committed to supporting the Palestinian people.
	Most recently, the UK announced its intention to contribute up to 12 million for the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM). The European Community has committed 105 million to the mechanism. We are aware that several other European countries are considering making contributions. This will enable us to provide support in the health sector, to fund utilities and to give welfare allowances to some of the poorest Palestinians. In line with the commitments made at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg on 16 July and by EU Foreign Ministers on 17 July, we and the European Commission are looking at options to further expand the TIM.

Sudan

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on progress towards disarming of the Janjaweed in Darfur.

Ian McCartney: On 23 June, the Government of Sudan publicly began disarming the Janjaweed/armed militias. This is only the first step and needs to be followed by further action. We are pushing for the publication by the Government of a structured disarmament plan, which it is required to provide under the Darfur Peace Agreement.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the political situation in Darfur.

Ian McCartney: The Darfur Peace Agreement remains the only vehicle for a quick return to normality in the region. We call on the non-signatories to support the agreement. We also call on the Government of Sudan and Minni Minawi to find ways of encouraging the non-signatories to come on board, including by implementing the agreement in a way that benefits all the people of Darfur.

Sudan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on progress made towards  (a) the imposition of a travel ban on and  (b) the freezing of assets of those impeding the peace process in Sudan.

Margaret Beckett: All sides are responsible for crimes in Darfur. The UK has taken a lead in supporting sanctions for Sudan. We co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1591 which allowed the Security Council to impose sanctions on anyone who impedes the peace process in Darfur. We also co-sponsored UNSCR 1672, adopted on 25 April this year, imposing targeted sanctions on four individuals from all sides to the conflict. This sends a clear message that the Security Council will not tolerate violations of human rights or other such actions in Darfur.

Iran

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Iran about support for Hezbollah; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: On 21 July officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office met the Iranian Ambassador in London. During their discussions they repeated our call for Iran, and Syria, to stop their support for Hezbollah and end their interference in Lebanese internal affairs in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1680. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not herself discussed this with Iran.

Iran

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of which countries supply dual-use technology to Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Many types of equipment and technology can have more than one use. Many countries, including the UK and other EU member states, make provision for licensing the export of dual use goods to Iran where this would not raise significant proliferation or other concerns. We work through the multilateral export control regimes and through bilateral contacts to ensure as many countries as possible apply close scrutiny to all such exports in order to ensure compliance with the obligations undertaken under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.
	UK exports are subject to the Export Control Act, 2002. Details of all dual-use exports from the UK can be found in the Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls, available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at: www.fco.gov.uk.

Iran

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her latest assessment is of the threat posed to regional security by Iran's nuclear programme.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 28 June 2006
	The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East would pose a serious threat to regional peace and stability, as well as to the multilateral non-proliferation regime.
	We remain deeply concerned about the intentions of Iran's nuclear programme. Iran is continuing uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, which will enable it to develop the know-how to produce fissile material that could be used in nuclear weapons. Moreover, as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Dr Mohammed El-Baradei, has described in his most recent reports, Iran is not co-operating fully with the IAEA and many important issues concerning its programme remain to be resolved to the IAEA's satisfaction.
	We urge Iran to respond positively to the proposals presented by EU high representative, Javier Solana, on 6 June and to take steps necessary to create confidence that the intentions of its nuclear programme are solely peaceful, including suspending fully all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities.

Iran

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK is taking towards ensuring that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 28 June 2006
	We remain deeply concerned that Iran is continuing uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, which will enable it to develop the know- how to produce fissile material suitable for use in nuclear weapons, despite the requirement of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors and the UN Security Council that these activities should be suspended.
	On 6 June, Javier Solana, EU High Representative, presented new proposals on behalf of China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US. These offer a way forward that would give Iran everything it needs to develop a modern civil nuclear power industry, as well as political and economic benefits, while meeting international concerns. For talks to resume, Iran must reinstate the full suspension deemed essential by the IAEA Board; we would also suspend action in the Security Council.
	We are disappointed that Iran has not so far engaged seriously with these proposals, nor reinstated the suspension. We therefore have no choice but to return to the UN Security Council and seek a resolution that will make the suspension mandatory.
	Our proposals remain on the table. We continue to urge Iran to take the positive path that is on offer.

Iran

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on Iran's referral to the Security Council.

Kim Howells: On 29 March, the President of the Security Council issued a statement agreed by consensus. This called on Iran to co-operate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and take the steps identified as essential by the IAEA Board of Governors, including reinstating a full suspension of all uranium enrichment related and reprocessing activities.
	We are deeply concerned that, nearly four months later, Iran is still not co-operating fully with the IAEA, and has continued and expanded its enrichment activities. Nor has Iran responded positively to the proposals made by the UK, with China, France, Germany, Russia and the US (the 'E3+3') which would enable talks to resume on a long-term solution.
	In these circumstances, the E3+3 have decided that there is no choice but to return to the Security Council and seek a Resolution making the suspension mandatory on Iran. Should Iran refuse to comply, we will work for the adoption of measures under Article 41 of Chapter VII of the UN Charter.
	We continue to urge Iran to respond positively to the E3+3 proposals. If Iran reinstates a full suspension of enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, as required by the IAEA Board, we are prepared to suspend further action in the Security Council.

Lebanon

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Government of Lebanon about the current Israeli attacks and incursions into Lebanon.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been in contact with his Lebanese counterpart to offer support. As he told the House on 18 July
	I have spoken to the Prime Minister of Lebanon. I think Lebanon is looking for international help...I believe the Prime Minister of Lebanon wants to do the right thing. The people around him are desperate for some stability in their country and they feel very angry that they are caught in the present situation. [Official Report, 18th July 2006, c. 168]
	I also held discussions with Prime Minister Siniora during my recent visit to the region. Our ambassador in Beirut remains in regular contact with the Lebanese Government.

Lebanon

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her latest assessment is of the situation in Israel and Lebanon.

Geoff Hoon: We are gravely concerned by the crisis in Lebanon. It is causing great harm to the civilian populations on both sides and threatens the wider security of the region. We are seriously concerned by the numbers of deaths, casualties and displaced persons that have been caused as a result of this conflict. We continue to appeal to both sides to act with utmost restraint.
	As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said, this conflict is most easily ended by the undoing of what started it: Hizbollah should hand back the kidnapped Israeli soldiers immediately and stop targeting Israeli towns and cities.
	Syrian and Iranian support for Hizbollah and other extremist groups is encouraging extremism, threatening the stability of the region, and putting peace in the Middle East further out of reach. We call on Syria and Iran to stop their support for Hizbollah and end their interference in Lebanese internal affairs in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1680.

Lebanon

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between her Department and the Israeli authorities since the invasion of Lebanon.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to the Israeli Prime Minister Olmert on 18 July. On 25 June, 6, 13 and 18 July my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Livni. On 18 July she also spoke to the Israeli ambassador, Zvi Heifetz. During my visit to the region on 22-24 July, I spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Livni.
	Our embassy in Tel Aviv have been in regular contact with the Israeli authorities since 12 July. On 12 July we lobbied the Israeli Government to open Kerem Shalom for humanitarian assistance and people to re-enter Gaza.
	Our British ambassador in Tel Aviv has been in constant contact with the Israeli authorities since 12 July, speaking to, among others, the Israeli Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Adviser, the Israeli Foreign Minister, the Israeli Prime Minister's Chief of Staff, and the Israeli Tourism Ministerwho is a member of the Israeli security cabinet. He raised our concerns about civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure in Lebanon and called for proportionality and restraint.
	The Defence Section at our British embassy in Tel Aviv has been in contact throughout the last two weeks with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in order to facilitate the evacuation of British citizens from Lebanon. The Defence Section have also received briefings from the IDF and raised on a number of occasions our concerns regarding proportionality and civilian casualties.

Lebanon

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions her Department has taken to seek an end to Israeli military action in  (a) Gaza and  (b) Lebanon.

Kim Howells: We are working closely with international partners in the region, the UN, EU and G8, towards a ceasefire. Both my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary have been in regular contact with their counterparts in the region. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to the Lebanese Prime Minister on 13 July and to Israeli Prime Minister Olmert on 18 July. On 25 June, and on 6, 13 and 18 July my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Livni. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also spoke to Palestinian President Abbas on 25 June and 6 July. During my visit to the region on 22 July, I met with Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora, Foreign Minister Salloukh and others. On 22 July I met Palestinian President Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Livni to raise our concerns.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) (UIN 89157).

Lebanon

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will call for an immediate ceasefire of Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

Kim Howells: We are working urgently with international partners towards a ceasefire. But it is crucial that any ceasefire is durable.
	As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said,
	this conflict is most easily ended by the undoing of what started it: Hezbollah should hand back the kidnapped Israeli soldiers immediately.

Lebanon

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what date the Foreign Office expects to evacuate all British citizens from Lebanon who wish to leave the country.

Kim Howells: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff coordinated with the Ministry of Defence the evacuation of some 4,600 people from Lebanon. Around half of these were flown on to the UK at their request; others have gone on to other destinations. This evacuation was widely publicised in Lebanon at the time; the last scheduled UK departure was 22 July, because the British embassy in Beirut and all of those involved in evacuating British nationals judged that the numbers wishing to leave had shrunk almost to nothing.
	Those British passport holders in Lebanon who did not leave during the evacuation, but who now wish to do so, should contact the embassy in Beirut, or the FCO, for up-to-the-minute information. Full details are set out in the FCO Travel Advice for Lebanon, on the FCO website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage c==Pagecid=1007029390590a=KCountry Adviceaid=1013618386118.

Gaza

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions the Quartet group has had on Israel's military incursions in Gaza.

Kim Howells: Although the Quartet has not met formally to discuss the current situation in the Middle East, members have remained in regular contact. Most recently, Quartet members attended the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg on 16 July arid EU Foreign Ministers met in Brussels on 17 July. All Quartet members remain actively engaged to resolve the situation.

Iraq

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the political situation in Iraq.

Kim Howells: The recent increase in violence in Iraq is of great concern. We need to see a halt to the round of revenge killings. Successfully tackling the issues driving the violence requires sustained commitment and strong leadership from the Iraqi Government and key political and community leaders. The Prime Minister discussed this with Iraqi Prime Minister during his visit here on 24 July. We are giving his Government our full support.

Iraq

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 13 July 2005,  Official Report, column 1122W, on Iraq, if he will place the written material prepared by oil advisers seconded by the Government to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in the Library.

Geoff Hoon: These documents have been placed in the Library of the House and I will arrange for copies to be sent to my hon. Friend.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, columns 327-8W, on Iraq, what form local government takes in each governorate; what powers it has; what responsibility it takes for local reconstruction; what role it has in the delivery of security; and what assessment the Government have made of its democratic accountability.

Margaret Beckett: Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Order 71 sets out the composition and powers delegated to local government. Copies of this are available at the following website at:
	http://cpa-iraq.org/regulations/20040406_CPAORD_71 _Local_Governmental_Powers_.pdf.
	I will also arrange for a copy of CPA Order 71 to be placed in the Library of the House and for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member.
	This order was designed to improve delivery of public services by appropriately empowering government bodies at governorate, municipal and local levels. Each governorate may:
	raise revenue from taxes;
	plan/implement investment projects approved by the Provincial Reconstruction and Development Committee (including in partnership with international or non- governmental organisations); and
	carry out other activities that are not exclusively reserved for central government (i.e. foreign policy, national security policy and fiscal and monetary policies).
	Governorates are also responsible for overseeing the quality and timeliness of projects carried out by the Technical Directorates or relevant Ministries.
	National Security is a central government responsibility. At the provincial level the Iraqi police force, headed by a Chief of police, is responsible for maintaining law and order. Given the current security situation, the Iraqi army supported by multi- national forces also retains responsibility for security. Ultimately this will be handed over to the Iraqi authorities. The Iraqi police force reports to the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. The Iraqi army reports to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence.
	Local government currently consists of 18 Governorate Councils (GC), each with 41 members, and a Baghdad GC, with 51 members. These were elected in the January 2005 national elections.
	Each GC is headed by a Chairman and is responsible for electing the Governor. Beneath the GCs are municipal councils (i.e. there are 15 in Baghdad governorate) and local councils (over 700 nationally).
	Our missions in Kirkuk, Basra and Baghdad constantly monitor and report on the political progress in Iraq, including the democratic process. That process is not yet complete; the next step in the democratic calendar is for Iraq to hold provincial elections. Through elections of provincial, municipal and local councils and direct democratic accountability for Governors and Chiefs of police, the system should provide a higher degree of (indirect) democratic accountability.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to her answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, columns 328-30W, on Iraq, what further progress has been made on achieving the milestones for police reform in the Iraqi provinces of  (a) Al Basrah,  (b) Al Muthanna,  (c) Dhi Qar and  (d) Maysan.

Margaret Beckett: Since my reply to the hon. Member ( Official Report, columns 328-30W), we have trained an additional 1,300 police officers in Basra, 154 in Muthanna and 607 in Maysan. Responsibility for policing in Dhi Qar continues to lie with the Italian contingent.
	On 12 July 2006, responsibility for security in Muthana was transferred from the multi-national forces in Iraq (MNF-I) to local authorities.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, column 328W, on Iraq, what progress has been made by the Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility in Iraq; and what recommendations it has made on the provinces and provincial capitals ready for the transfer of security responsibilities.

Margaret Beckett: The Joint Committee to Transfer Security Responsibility recommended to the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mr Al-Maliki, and the Iraqi Ministerial Committee on National Security, that the Province of Al-Muthanna and the Provincial Capital of Samawah were ready to transfer to Iraqi security responsibility. The Government of Iraq announced that it agreed with this assessment on 19 June 2006. The security handover in Al-Muthanna took place on 13 July. The committee is now considering recommendations in respect of the handover of further areas to Iraqi provincial control.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, columns 326-7W, on Iraq, what progress has been made on the UK Government's discussions with the Iraqi Government on the release of accurate and up-to-date figures on civilian deaths in Iraq.

Margaret Beckett: Maintaining records of civilian deaths in Iraq is a matter for the Government of Iraq. We continue to assess that there are no entirely accurate figures for civilian deaths in Iraq. Estimates vary according to the method of collection.
	The Iraqi Ministry of Health has released further figures of casualties to the UK. The Ministry of Health statistics for the dead and injured include those judged by the first public responder, normally the police, Army or coalition forces, to have been victims of 'terrorism', or those harmed as a result of (Iraqi or coalition) 'military' action. It is unclear if these figures include victims of crime. The figures show 21,091 injured and 7,254 killed as a result of terrorism between January 2005 and January 2006. They show 1,933 injured and 839 killed as a result of 'military' action in the same period. The figures are collected from hospitals across Iraq, but do not include the three Kurdish provinces. The figures do not distinguish between insurgents, civilians or Iraqi security forces killed.

Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to her Answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, column 327W, on Iraq, what the priorities and aims are of rule of law development in the Iraqi provinces of  (a) Al Basrah,  (b) Al Muthanna,  (c) Dhi Qar and  (d) Maysan; and what (i) human and (ii) financial resources the UK Government has committed to this development.

Margaret Beckett: The aim of the Government's rule of law programmes in Muthanna, Maysan and Basra provinces in Southern Iraq is to assist in the development of efficient, effective, credible and community supported security forces and criminal justice institutions.
	The priorities of our programmes are:
	to develop the capacity of, and links between the different elements of the criminal justice system (police, prisons and judiciary);
	to develop the ability of the Iraqi security forces to investigate and remove corrupt officers, investigate major crime and to use criminal intelligence;
	to develop a model for these institutions which will allow an effective hand over responsibility for security to the Iraqis authorities.
	There are 170 UK police, prisons officers and lawyers providing training, mentoring and advice to the Iraqis. Since 2004, the Government have committed 22 million to rule of law development programmes in Iraq.
	Responsibility for policing in Dhi Qar lies with the Italian forces.

Iraq

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK private security companies are operating in Iraq.

Kim Howells: There is no requirement for Private Military/Security Companies (PMSCs) to register with our Embassy in Baghdad and therefore the Government does not maintain precise figures of the UK companies operating in Iraq. The non-governmental Private Security Companies Association of Iraq (PSCAI) are aware of 141 companies that describe themselves as PMSC's operating in Iraq. Of these at least 14 are UK companies, in that they are registered under Companies House as currently operating in the UK or the Crown Dependencies.

Iraq

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many licences have been issued by the Ministry of Interior in Iraq to UK private security firms in each of the last 12 months.

Kim Howells: By the end of 2005, 37 private military/security companies (PMSCs) of all nationalities were registered with the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. However, owing to changes in regulatory requirements from the Ministry of Interior all licences expired this year and were not renewed. The Ministry of Interior has issued new criteria and under these only three companies have been registered, all of which are Iraqi. Some UK PMSCs have applied under the new criteria and their licences are currently being processed.

Iraq

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many  (a) foreign and  (b) domestic journalists have been killed in Iraq in each month since March 2003, broken down by nationality.

Kim Howells: We deplore the continuing violence in Iraq that is claiming the lives of many innocent people, including journalists who have been killed while carrying out their important work. The Government do not, however, collect statistics on civilian deaths in Iraq and we believe that there are no entirely accurate statistics on civilian casualties in Iraq over the past three years. We understand that the International Federation of Journalists produced a report detailing the journalists killed in Iraq for at least some of the period covered in question. This information can be found at www.ifj.org.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who sits on the Afghanistan Provincial Reconstruction Team Executive Steering Council; what its objectives are; and how often it meets.

Margaret Beckett: The Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) Executive Steering Committee is co-chaired by the Minister of the Interior of the Afghan government, on behalf of the President, Commander of the International Security Assistance Force and Commander Coalition Forces CommandAfghanistan. The Committee's membership is completed by the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Reconstruction and Rural Development, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the Senior Civilian Representative of the NATO Secretary General, the EU Special Representative, and Ambassadors of nations contributing or potentially contributing military or other resources to PRTs. Other Ministers of the Afghan government are invited by the chairs or attend as directed by the President.
	The Committee's objectives are to develop and implement policies governing operations of the PRTs, to strengthen and extend the authority of the central government throughout the country, assist in establishing stability and security, and enable reconstruction including through delivering projects and expertise. The Committee has sought to co-ordinate PRT policies and practices, provide oversight for the development of new PRTs, determine verifiable measures of effectiveness for PRTs, and establish conditions for the transition from PRTs to full Afghan Government authority.
	The Committee meets every two months.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist for the co-ordination of activities between provincial reconstruction teams, international organisations and non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan.

Margaret Beckett: There are many fora in Kabul that help to co-ordinate activity. The primary vehicle for co-ordination of international effort in Afghanistan is the Joint Co-ordination and Monitoring Board, which seeks to ensure implementation of the Afghanistan Compact. This body brings together all donors and international organisations active in helping to rebuild the country and extend the authority of the central government beyond Kabul. In addition, co-ordination between Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) and others engaged in the regions outside Kabul is managed by the PRT Executive Steering Committee.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has received from the government of Afghanistan regarding  (a) the level of police officers agreed in the Afghanistan Compact and  (b) requests to increase the number of police officers beyond the target envisaged; and what the UK Government's position is.

Margaret Beckett: To date, I have not received any representations from the Afghan government regarding the level of police officers set out in the Afghanistan Compact and the issue of increasing the target has not arisen.
	The UK supports the Afghanistan Compact and the goals it contains and remains in close touch with the German police project and the US police reform programmes. The UK has recently appointed a Senior Police Adviser to the UK led Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Lashkar Gah to help extend national police reform programmes to the South. The UK also plans to appoint a Senior Police Adviser to work within the US-led Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan in Kabul.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of  (a) the level of support given to the insurgency in Afghanistan from external sources and  (b) who these sources are; and what the Government's policy is on the most effective approach to combat them.

Margaret Beckett: There is some indication that armed groups in Afghanistan receive financial and other support from a variety of sympathisers and associates. The Government seek to combat this in a number of ways. These include political dialogue with the relevant governments in an attempt to deny the supporters freedom of action, and support for those governments to develop the capacity of their law enforcement agencies.

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government were represented at the Second Tokyo Conference on the Consolidation of Peace in Afghanistan; what the UK goals for the conference were; and what assessment she has made of the outcome.

Margaret Beckett: Our Ambassador in Kabul led the UK delegation at the Second Conference on the Consolidation of Peace in Afghanistan, held in Tokyo on 5 July. Our goals for the conference were to reiterate the UK's support for security sector reform, to affirm support for the Disbandment of Illegal Armed Groups (DIAG) and to set out the UK's activity and achievements on counter-narcotics.
	While there has been good progress made on the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration process, there are significant challenges ahead to keep the DIAG process on track. President Karzai made a strong statement of commitment to overcoming the difficulties, but continued support from the international community will be needed.

Afghanistan

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to President Karzai concerning the re-introduction of the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.

Kim Howells: The Afghan Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs' proposal for establishing a Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice was considered at Cabinet on 16 July 2006. This has now been referred to Parliament.
	We, and our international partners, continue to encourage the Afghan Government to observe its international human rights obligations.

Albania

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the conclusions of the 20 June meeting of the Consultative Task Force between the EU and Albania.

Margaret Beckett: The Consultative Task Force discussed freedom of expression, property restitution, electoral reform, human rights and minority rights. This is a Commission led meeting, with member states invited as observers.
	Following the meeting the Commission released a press statement that can be found on the Commission Delegation's website: http://www.delalb.cec.eu.int/en/news/CTF14-date-20-June-2006-Press-Release.doc.

Albania

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what  (a) financial and  (b) technical help is being given to Albania by (i) the EU and (ii) her Department for the purpose of tackling human trafficking in the country; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent representations she has made to her Albanian counterpart regarding human trafficking in Albania;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of progress made in tackling human trafficking in Albania; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: I take the trafficking of human beings and the wider issue of organised crime in Albania seriously. Working to reduce these activities is a priority.
	Most recently, in March this year my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, visited Tirana and as part of his discussions with senior Ministers in the Albanian Government, including the Prime Minister, raised the issue of human trafficking. Our Ambassador in Tirana regularly raises the subject with Ministers.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is providing 238,000 to the International Organisation for Migration to implement an information campaign, including training media professionals in responsible reporting of trafficking issues, establish a national telephone hotline to provide information on safe migration, and for the public to report instances of human trafficking. We have also provided over 250,000 to a establish a forensic laboratory which contributes to the identification of forged documents.
	Since 2001, through the Community Assistance for Reconstruction and Development Programme the EU have provided over 19.5 million on projects to improve border policing and the establishment and implementation of migration strategies. The end goal is for Albania to have the capacity and techniques to prevent trafficking for itself.
	We welcome the increased international presence in this area and the commitment of the Albanian Government to tackle it.

Ambassadors (Education)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of ambassadors were educated in  (a) the state sector,  (b) the private sector,  (c) Oxford or Cambridge University and  (d) other universities in each of the last 30 years.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) current management information system does not hold education details on all our staff and it would take a disproportionate amount of time to collect the data requested.
	However, the FCO is committed to recruiting a talented and diverse workforce which reflects the society it serves. In this context, the FCO is active in outreach activities, such as careers fairs and community business events. The FCO has run competence-based assessment and development centres (ADCs) to determine which members of its staff have the necessary skills required to work within its senior management structure (SMS).
	Candidates attending these ADCs have their performance assessed by a mix of internal trained assessors and external professionals. All promotion recommendations made at the ADCs are performance-based and are made irrespective of an individual's educational background. At the same time the FCO has run 16 recruitment campaigns, via external recruitment agencies, for SMS positions. The recruitment process is run on the principle of fair and open competition, as laid down in the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code (www.civilservicecommissioners.gov.uk). Once again, progress is merit-based, and is made irrespective of an individual's educational background.

British and European Financial Transactions

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her  (a) EU and  (b) US counterparts on reports of the disclosure of British and European financial transactions to the US intelligence services; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 20 July 2006
	It has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on intelligence sources and methods. However, the Government support US efforts to target, disrupt and cut off sources of funding for terrorism.

British Council

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has received on the next financial grant to the British Council; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not received any representations about the next financial grant to the British Council. The future funding for the British Council will be taken forward within the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

British Council

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of  (a) commissioning and  (b) implementing the new British Council logo.

Geoff Hoon: The redesign of the British Council logo was part of a wider programme of rebranding the British Council. This included redesign of the British Council manual and guidelines, the imagebank, the intranet and extranet sites and the development of a bespoke font, unique to the British Council, which could be used in the UK and by offices overseas. The overall rebranding cost 120,000. Implementation costs were minimal as it took place in a phased manner as part of the standard programme of replacement of material and equipment and refurbishment of Council premises.

British Council

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what employment policy is operated by the British Council.

Geoff Hoon: The British Council's employment policies comply with all relevant legislation in the UK, or local legislation as applicable for staff employed outside the UK.

Burma

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2005,  Official Report, column 1369W, on Burma; if she will confirm that processing of Burmese (i) uranium and (ii) antimony takes place in (A) China, (B) North Korea, (C) Russia and (D) elsewhere.

Kim Howells: While we are aware that processing of uranium and antimony takes place in China, North Korea and Russia as well as a number of other countries, we have no information regarding the export to or subsequent processing in any country of uranium or antimony from Burma.

Chernobyl

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total cost of the clean up to date at Chernobyl; and what the UK contribution has been to this work.

Geoff Hoon: The Government have no estimate of the total amount spent on the clean up following the Chernobyl accident.
	The UK has played an important role supporting safety, health, decommissioning and development work that has taken place as a result of the Chernobyl accident. The UK's contribution to national and international programmes arising from the accident has been in excess of 100 million.

Correspondence

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she will respond to the letter dated 10 May sent to her by the hon. Member for Thurrock in relation to compensation.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 8 June 2006
	I apologise for the delay in replying to my hon. Friend's parliamentary questions and my hon. Friend's letter of 10 May. I took additional advice on this matter and a reply has now been sent to my hon. Friend.

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when her Department will reply to the letter of 17 May from the hon. Member for Aylesbury on behalf of Mr P-K.E.E. of Aylesbury (reference 30131) which her ministerial correspondence unit sent to UK Visas on 28 June.

Kim Howells: holding answer 17 July 2006
	UKvisas replied to the hon. Member on 25 May. A copy of this reply was faxed to the hon. Member's office on 13 July.

Council of Europe

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK's contribution is to the funding of the Council of Europe; what percentage of the whole this figure represents; and what percentage is contributed by  (a) France,  (b) Germany,  (c) Italy,  (d) Spain and  (e) Russia.

Geoff Hoon: The UK's 2006 total contribution to the Council of Europe is 30,069,636.23. This is made up of 27,947,261.58 in assessed contributions and additional contributions to partial agreements totalling 2,122,374.95. The breakdown of the UK's total contribution and the percentage of the whole are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   UK Euro contribution  Percentage of whole 
			  Assessed contributions   
			 Ordinary Budget 23,257,480.03 12.23 
			 Pensions Reserve Fund 3,723,894.18 13.83 
			 Pensions Fiscal Adjustment 78,920.94 13.83 
			 Extraordinary Budget (Buildings etc.) 540,223.84 10.59 
			 Youth Foundation 346,742.29 12.23 
			 Total 27,947,261.28  
			
			  Partial agreements   
			 Social and Public Health 248,887.28 17.29 
			 European Pharmacopoeia 696,386.12 15.2 
			 Pompidou (combats drugs and illicit trafficking) 236,348.45 14.03 
			 Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) 422,208.14 13.76 
			 GRAZ Centre (Centre for Modern Languages) 235,512.60 14.6 
			 GRECO (Anti Corruption) 283,032.36 17.8 
			 Total 2,122,374.95 - 
			
			 Grand total 30,069,636.23  
		
	
	The percentage contributed by the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Spain in 2006 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Percentage of contributions 
			   UK  France  Germany  Italy  Russia  Spain 
			  Assessed contributions   
			 Ordinary Budget 12.23 12.23 12.23 12.23 12.23 6.23 
			 Pensions Reserve Fund 13.83 13.83 13.83 13.83 5.8 6,23 
			 Pensions Fiscal Adjustment 13.83 13.83 13.83 13.83 5.8 6.23 
			 Extraordinary Budget (Buildings etc) 10.59 24 10.59 10.59 10.59 5.39 
			 European Youth Foundation 12.23 12.23 12.23 12.23 12.23 6.23 
			
			  Partial agreements   
			 Social and Public Health Field 17.29 17.29 17.29 17.29 n/a 8.02 
			 European Pharmacopoeia 15.2 15.2 15.2 15.2 n/a 6.94 
			 Co-operation group to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking (Pompidou) 14.03 14.03 14.03 14.03 6.14 6.35 
			 European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) 13.76 13.76 13.76 13.76 5.73 6.19 
			 European Centre for Modern Languages (GRAZ) 14.6 14.6 14.6 n/a n/a 10.4 
			 Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) 17.8 17.8 17.8 n/a n/a 3.99

Delwar Hossain Sayeedi

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors were taken into account when granting Delwar Hossain Sayeedi permission to come to the United Kingdom.

Kim Howells: holding answer 20 July 2006
	I cannot comment on individual cases. However, all applicants must meet the entry clearance criteria/ immigration controls, as set out on the UKvisas website at www.ukvisas.gov.uk.

Departmental Staff (Education)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the recruits to her Department were educated in  (a) state schools,  (b) private schools,  (c) Oxford or Cambridge University and  (d) other universities in each of the last 30 years.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s current management information system does not hold educational details on all our staff and it would incur a disproportionate cost to collect the data requested.
	FCO recruitment processes are run on the principle of fair and open competition, as laid down in the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code, available at: www.civilservicecommissioners.gov.uk. They are based solely on merit and decisions are made irrespective of educational background.
	The FCO is committed to recruiting from as wide a spectrum of the population as possible, and has for many years had an active educational diversity and outreach policy, including currently:
	careers fairs, such as the National Graduate Recruitment Exhibition which was held in Birmingham in June;
	career Open Days, of which the next takes place on the 25 July;
	work experience scheme;
	in 2006 we have offered placements to approximately 45 persons from a range of backgrounds, including GCSE students, A-level students, undergraduate students and those in full-time employment.

Diplomatic Posts (Expense Allowances)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the levels of expense allowances which are permitted at each of the diplomatic posts within the NATO Alliance and the European Union are; and what they were in May 1997.

Geoff Hoon: The following figures reflect entertainment expenditure for Heads of Mission in NATO and European Union capitals for the 1996-97 and 2005-06 financial years. Entertainment expense allowances (Frais) paid to Heads of Mission cover the cost of official entertainment and other representational expenditure (principally the running of the Head of Mission residence).
	Frais allocations are based on the anticipated entertainment obligations of each Head of Mission job in the year ahead and evidence of expenditure in previous years.
	
		
			  NATO only  1996-97 total  2005-06 total 
			 Ankara 25,135 31,738 
			 Bucharest 17653 13,290 
			 Oslo 44,178 39,350 
			 Ottawa 39,673 44,944 
			 Reykjavik 20,918 18,514 
			 Sofia 25,147 21,101 
			 Washington 141,806 121,729 
		
	
	
		
			  EU only  1996-97 total  2005-06 total 
			 Dublin 36,505 39,100 
			 Helsinki 49,038 37,211 
			 Nicosia 43,402 33,726 
			 Stockholm 62,013 46,233 
			 Valletta 19,553 21,945 
			 Vienna 45,567 32,470 
		
	
	
		
			  EU and NATO posts  1996-97 total  2005-06 total 
			 Athens 45,533 39,879 
			 Bonn/Berlin 71,001 55,567 
			 Bratislava 11,797 8,878 
			 Brussels 51,165 40,526 
			 Budapest 26,815 34,648 
			 Copenhagen 33,100 28,093 
			 Hague, The 48,494 39,668 
			 Lisbon 21,106 23,481 
			 Ljubljana 11,503 19,100 
			 Luxembourg 27,909 20,326 
			 Madrid 40,339 50,649 
			 Paris 203,530 167,591 
			 Prague 42,774 35,791 
			 Riga 21,801 15,933 
			 Rome 51,349 41,673 
			 Tallin 15,076 9,207 
			 Vilnius 15,373 15,035 
			 Warsaw 21,173 47,881

Doha Round

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action she is taking to encourage the revival of the Doha round of trade talks.

Geoff Hoon: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations remain high on the agenda for the Government and are discussed regularly in contacts with EU partners, the European Commission and other WTO Members. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister attended the G8 summit in St. Petersburg from 15-17 July and raised this issue with leaders from G8 and +5 countries (Brazil, India, China, South Africa and Mexico). We welcome Pascal Lamy's attendance at the G8 summit and the statement by G8 leaders on the WTO negotiations and the process that has been agreed to take negotiations forward over the next month. The G8 Statement on Trade is available on the internet at the following address: http://en.g8russia.ru/docs/16.html.
	The WTO Round was also discussed at the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council on 17 July and in the Agriculture Council on 18 July, where my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spoke in favour of an ambitious, pro-development outcome to the Round. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary also raised the issue during her recent visits to the United States and Brazil.
	We will continue to work with our EU partners, the Commission and other WTO members to ensure a successful outcome to the Round.

Falkland Islands (Sovereignty)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Argentine Government on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

Geoff Hoon: The UK has had no discussions with Argentina on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. We will not discuss the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands with Argentina unless and until such time as the Falkland Islanders so wish.

FIFA World Cup

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which matches  (a) she and  (b) other Ministers in her Department attended at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany in their ministerial capacity; at what cost to public funds; and with what contributions from third party organisations.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today (UIN 73630).

FIFA World Cup

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans  (a) she and  (b) Ministers in her Department have to attend matches at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not attend any games at the FIFA World Cup 2006.
	My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, and I as the Minister for Europe, attended one game each during the World Cup in Germany.
	My noble Friend Lord Triesman attended England v. Sweden Group B match on 20 June 2006 in Cologne. I attended the England v. Ecuador second round match on 25 June 2006 in Stuttgart. Tickets for both matches were provided by the local state authorities. During their visits to Germany they also met with Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials providing services for British nationals travelling to the World Cup.
	All travel and accommodation was arranged in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers. The total cost of the visits to Germany including officials was 2,940.60.

Immigration

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her counterparts in  (a) Libya,  (b) Tunisia and  (c) Algeria on their plans to tackle illegal immigration from North Africa to Europe.

Kim Howells: pursuant to the reply, 12 July 2006, Official Report, c.1912W
	I regret that an inaccurate answer was given to part of the hon. Member's question. The answer given states that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe, visited Algeria and Libya on 7-8 June and 25-27 respectively. In fact, I visited both countries on the specified dates.

Immigration

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Department will reach a decision of the immigration application of Shaid Ian, ref: 3107 2668.

Kim Howells: UKvisas does not have a record of any entry clearance application lodged by Shaid Ian, but would be pleased to follow this up with the hon. Member's office if he is able to provide further information.

Israel

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what defence equipment has been provided to Israel from the  (a) UK and  (b) EU in the last five years.

Geoff Hoon: The UK publishes details of all export licences issued in its Annual (and now Quarterly) Reports on Strategic Export Controls. This includes a summary of goods by destination. All reports from 1997 can be found on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename= OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPagec=Pagccid= 1007029395474. The Annual Report on Strategic Export Controls for 2005 will be published later this month.
	The EU also publishes an annual report on arms exports from EU member states.
	This information is available on the EU's website at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showpage .asp?id=408lang=enmode=g .

Israel

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make it her policy to impose an embargo on arms exports to Israel.

Kim Howells: With regard to Israel, as to all others countries, we will continue to assess rigorously all relevant export licence applications on a case by case basis against our EU and national arms export licensing criteria taking full account of the prevailing circumstances at the time of application and other announced Government policies. A licence will not be issued where to do so would be inconsistent with the criteria. The Government are proud of the UK's robust and transparent export licensing regime, which is among the best in the world.

Kosovo

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what plans have been made to establish an EU mission in Kosovo; and what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on such a mission;
	(2)  what plans have been made for the phasing out of the UN mission in Kosovo.

Geoff Hoon: The international presence in Kosovo after a status settlement will partly depend on the settlement itself. However, there is a broad consensus that when the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) closes, the EU will take on a more substantive role. As a result, an EU Planning Team was established in April composed of experts in the fields of justice, police, civilian administration and general administrative issues. They will continue to prepare for a possible European Security and Defence Policy Mission in Kosovo and continue to report to the Council on a monthly basis.
	The General Affairs and External Relations Council on 17 July, at which my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was present, reviewed progress on this work.

Kosovo

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations have been made to allow for contractual relations between Kosovo and the EU.

Geoff Hoon: A UN-led process is currently under way aimed at achieving a final status settlement for Kosovo. However, the Contact Group Guiding Principles for a settlement on Kosovo's status envisage a settlement that contributes towards realising the European Perspective of Kosovo, in particular Kosovo's progress in the Stabilisation and Association Process, as part of the integration of the entire region in Euro-Atlantic institutions.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him today (UIN 87912).

Kosovo

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to establish a European Commission office in Pristina; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The European Commission has plans to establish an office in Pristina that will absorb the functions of the European Commission Liaison Office and the European Agency for Reconstruction already established there. The office will work closely with the local authorities and civil society to assist them with the European integration and reform agenda. It will also need to work closely with whatever international civilian presence is established following a status settlement.

Ministerial Offices

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times her ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's office has not been redecorated in the last five years.

Ministerial Travel

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much it cost  (a) him and  (b) officials from his Department to fly to and from Russia for his recent visit.

Margaret Beckett: pursuant to the reply, 16 November 2005, Official Report, c.1268W
	.
	I regret that an inaccurate answer was given to the hon. Member's question. The answer referred the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Peter Luff) on 16 November 2005,  Official Report, column 1268W. The answer given stated that the total cost of a visit to Moscow, Iraq and Bahrain, on 8-12 November 2005, undertaken by my right. hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Jack Straw) was 98,400. In fact, the cost of the visit was 96,400. The original figure was based on an estimate provided by our charter broker and has subsequently been revised. The cost of diverting through the UK is included in the revised figure and still stands at 30,200.

Ministerial Travel

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the additional cost of  (a) his and  (b) his officials' early return from Moscow to permit him to vote in the proceedings in the Terrorism Bill.

Margaret Beckett: pursuant to the reply, 16 November 2005, Official Report, c. 1268W
	I regret that an inaccurate answer was given to part of the hon. Member's question. The answer given stated that the total cost of a visit to Moscow, Iraq and Bahrain, on 8-12 November 2005, undertaken by my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Mr. Straw) was 98,400. In fact, the cost of the visit was 96,400.
	The original figure was based on an estimate provided by our charter broker and has subsequently been revised. The cost of diverting through the UK is included in the revised figure and still stands at 30,200.

Muslim Organisations

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her Department's policy is on providing funding for members of the  (a) Muslim Brotherhood and  (b) Muslim Association of Britain.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 18 July 2006
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not provide funding for either organisation, although there may be occasions when those who are affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood and the Muslim Association of Britain take part in FCO initiatives or events that involve a broad range of participants.

Muslims of Europe Conference

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi produced a report for the Foreign Office following his attendance at the Muslims of Europe Conference in Istanbul.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 18 July 2006
	Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi has not produced any kind of report for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was one participant at a conference organised and led by a steering group of European Muslim scholars and civil society representatives. The output of the conference included a declaration and recommendations agreed by all its participants, including a strong renunciation of violence and terrorism. The full text is available at: www.muslimsofeurope.com/topkapi.php.

Muslims of Europe Conference

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) financial and  (b) other support was given to Sheikh Yusuf al Qaradawi and his family to attend the Muslims of Europe conference in Istanbul; and who authorised such support.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 18 July 2006
	Ministers approved Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) funding for the Muslims of Europe Conference, which was organised by a steering group of European Muslims. The steering group invited a wide variety of Muslim scholars and civil society representatives, including Sheikh Al-Qaradawi. FCO support for the Conference included flight, food and accommodation costs for all participants, including Sheikh Al-Qaradawi and his wife who was acting as his assistant.

Non-proliferation Action Plan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on the next steps towards the fulfilment of the commitment in the G8 2004 Non-proliferation Action Plan towards a mechanism for the reliable access of all countries to nuclear energy.

Margaret Beckett: The UK is actively working with others to formulate appropriate incentives for countries to forego fuel-cycle facilities. The UK co-sponsored a concept paper presented at the last International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors' meeting, 12-15 June 2006, that outlined a mechanism to provide reliable access to nuclear fuel. This paper will be the subject of further discussion during a special event to be held in the margins of the IAEA General Conference in September. We are also working with G8 partners towards more technically advanced solutions. These are outlined in the 2006 G8 Statement on Non-proliferation, which can be found at the following website: http://en.g8russia.ru/docs/20.html.

North Korea

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on potential sanctions against North Korea.

Kim Howells: On 15 July the Security Council adopted resolution 1695 (2006) which, inter alia, imposes sanctions in relation to North Korea. The UK fully supported adoption of the resolution, which the UK cosponsored.
	The sanctions imposed by the resolution include a requirement on all states to prevent missile and missile-related items, materials, goods and technology being transferred to North Korea's missile or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes. They also include a requirement on all states to prevent the procurement of missiles or missile related-items, materials, goods and technology from North Korea and the transfer of any financial resources in relation to it's missile or WMD programmes.
	The UK is committed to implementing the requirements set out in the resolution and urges all other states also to implement the measures.
	Discussion of any further UN sanctions at this stage would be premature. However, the UK would not rule out any further action by the Security Council, including the use of sanctions, if North Korean behaviour makes that necessary.

Palestinians (Funding)

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has received representations from the office of the EU Commissioner for External Affairs indicating that a request has been made to the Budgetary Authority to transfer funds from the Emergency Reserve to the Temporary Mechanism to fund the Palestinian people; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: We have received no representations from the EU Commissioner for External Affairs about this.
	We are concerned about the welfare of many Palestinians, particularly those affected by the current situation in Gaza. We have pushed strongly for the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) to help meet the basic needs of Palestinians. So far, the European Community has committed 105 million to the mechanism. The UK intends to contribute up to 12 million. We are aware that several other European countries are considering making contributions. This will enable us to provide support in the health sector, to fund utilities and to give welfare allowances to some of the poorest Palestinians. In line with the commitments made at the G8 on 16 July 2006 and by the European Council on 17 July 2006, we and the EC are looking at options to further expand the TIM.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she will reply to  (a) Question 75959, on compensation, tabled by the hon. Member for Thurrock on 5 June and  (b) the letter of 10 May to which the Question refers; and what the reason has been for the delay in responding in each case.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 8 June 2006
	I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave today (UIN 75959).

Private Security Companies

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to publish a White Paper on the regulation of UK private security companies operating abroad.

Kim Howells: In late 2004, my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn the then Foreign Secretary requested a review by officials of the options for the regulation of the overseas operations of private military and security companies (PMSCs) registered in or operating from the United Kingdom. The aim was to follow up on the Green Paper of 2002, Private Military Companies: Options for Regulation, and to respond to the increase in the activities of PMSCs in areas of conflict overseas. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is currently discussing the review recommendations with Ministerial colleagues: the review highlighted complex issues that need full consideration before a decision is taken on the way forward.
	The Government will keep Parliament fully informed of its proposals in this area. Should we consider a regulatory regime appropriate then we would publish the proposals in the form of a white paper or consultation document to allow for comments from all interested parties.

Private Security Companies

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to introduce a register of private military companies operating out of the UK.

Kim Howells: The introduction of a register of private military and security companies (PMSCs) operating out of the UK was considered in the review of the options for the regulation of PMSCs referred to in my reply today to the hon. Member's question (UIN 87939). As mentioned in that reply, the Government will keep Parliament fully informed of its proposals in this area.

Private Security Companies

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2005,  Official Report, column 1387W, on private security companies, what legislation governs the conduct of the Armor Group and Control Risks Group operating on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas.

Kim Howells: There is currently no UK legislation directly governing the conduct of private military and security companies (PMSCs) operating on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) overseas. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him today (UIN 87939) on the current position regarding regulation of this sector.
	PMSCs operating on behalf of the FCO are generally subject to provisions of the legal system in the country in which they are operating as well as any applicable provisions of International Humanitarian Law, where appropriate. In certain circumstances their conduct is covered by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Somaliland

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will establish an entry clearance post in Somaliland.

Kim Howells: There are currently no plans to open a visa section in Somaliland.

Tanzania

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will ask the Secretary of State for International Development to suspend all preferential debt relief and other aid to Tanzania unless and until Mr. Stewart Middleton is released from prison, all charges against him are dropped, his lands are confirmed in his rightful ownership and Mr. Benjamin Mengi is brought to justice.

Ian McCartney: We will not be suspending aid to Tanzania. UK development aid has helped Tanzania to increase its budget spending to reduce poverty and improve governance. We do not believe that an individual case such as this should prevent our efforts to improve the lives of impoverished Tanzanians.
	Our High Commission in Dar es Salaam has been in close touch with Mr. Middleton and his wife about the charges brought against him. The High Commission has provided full consular support, including visiting Mr. Middleton while he was detained. He has now been released. The High Commission has also raised the case with the Tanzanian Government at the highest level. It is now a matter for the courts. But we will continue to urge the Tanzanian authorities to ensure that the dispute and all related matters are expeditiously and fairly resolved.

UK Consular Facilities

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people from  (a) Canada,  (b) Australia,  (c) New Zealand,  (d) India,  (e) Pakistan,  (f) Malawi,  (g) St Lucia,  (h) Trinidad and Tobago,  (i) Belize,  (j) Jamaica and  (k) Kenya have used UK consular facilities in the absence of their own in each of the last five years.

Kim Howells: We provide consular assistance to unrepresented EU nationals and Commonwealth citizens in certain circumstances but we do not collect information on what countries they are from. Each year in the Consular Annual Return we ask our overseas posts for a total number of persons helped in these categories. For the last two years we have asked for separate figures as in the following table. Data for 2005-06 is due in September.
	
		
			   EU Nationals  Commonwealth citizens 
			 2004-05 982 2,065 
			 2003-04 1,815 1,947 
			 2002-03 2,931 
			 2001-02 2,112 
			 2000-01 2,663

US National Space Policy

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her US counterparts on US national space policy; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with her US counterparts on US national space policy.
	However, along with fellow EU member states, the UK regularly supports the resolution on the 'Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space' at the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In 2005, we also supported a new UNGA resolution on Transparency and Confidence Building Measures in Outer Space Activities.

Venezuala

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to develop UK-Venezuelan relations; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: We have an active commercial relationship with Venezuela and work closely with the Venezuelan Government on many issues, particularly in the fields of energy and counter-narcotics. Our policy is to maintain constructive engagement as we have much to gain by working together.

Visa Interviews (Ho Chi Minh City)

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the letter (Ref: 26890/2006) of 18 April to the hon. Member for Sunderland South, on the possibility of conducting visa interviews in Ho Chi Minh City, when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State expects to complete his inquiries; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, has now completed his enquiries on this issue. Due to an administrative error in UKvisas, these enquiries were not able to be completed until now. UKvisas apologises for this error. A substantive reply from my noble Friend was sent to my hon. Friend on 23 July.
	UKvisas visited Hanoi in June 2006 to review the Visa Service in Vietnam. Following the review, UKvisas is satisfied that the current operation continues to function well and there are no plans to conduct visa interviews in Ho Chi Minh City. The option was considered but deemed too resource intensive for the number of applicants involved.
	The number of applicants from the south of Vietnam that are required to travel to Hanoi for interview is not expected to increase in the foreseeable future. In an effort to improve the Visa Service in Ho Chi Minh City, UKvisas is working on introducing the Fast Track criteria for visa applicants which will mean fewer applicants will be required to travel to Hanoi for interview.

TRANSPORT

Advertising Campaigns

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advertising campaigns the Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the  (a) date and  (b) cost was of each.

Gillian Merron: The requested figures for financial years 2002-03 to 2004-05 are in the following tables. The majority of advertising investment by the Department is in support of the THINK! road safety campaign with investment (750,000) into promoting the Transport Direct portal service in 2004-05. Among non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible, and during the timeframe requested, major advertising investment has been by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, to explain changes to the car tax rules.
	Further breakdown of agency-specific campaigns for the timescale requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Following departmental reorganisations, total expenditure figures for prior to 2002 would also involve disproportionate costs.
	
		
			  Department for Transport (central) 
			   
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 TV 5,600,000 6,000,000 4,750,000 
			 Radio 2,600,000 2,500,000 2,160,000 
			 Press 205,000 538,000 186,000 
			 Other 1,100,000 1,300,000 1,660,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Non-departmental bodies for which the Department is responsible 
			   
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 TV 2,190,000 4,670,000 3,290,000 
			 Radio 1,800,000 1,040,000 1,740,000 
			 Press 3,160,000 2,900,000 3,500,000 
			 Other 1,300,000 2,210,000 1,340,000

Air Safety

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many near misses there have been in UK airspace in each of the past 10 years.

Gillian Merron: During the 10 years from 1996 to 2005 inclusive, the number of Airprox incidents recorded in UK airspace can be broken down by category by year are in the following table.
	
		
			  Category of Airprox incidents 
			   A  B  Total 
			 1996 37 58 95 
			 1997 36 64 100 
			 1998 23 43 66 
			 1999 23 49 72 
			 2000 28 44 72 
			 2001 33 42 75 
			 2001 17 68 85 
			 2003 14 58 72 
			 2004 15 53 68 
			 2005 16 51 70 
		
	
	A risk bearing Airprox is one that falls into category A (where an actual risk of collision existed) or B (where safety was not assured).
	
		
			  Category of Airprox incidents 
			   C  D  Total 
			 1996 113 3 116 
			 1997 105 3 108 
			 1998 132 3 135 
			 1999 134 2 136 
			 2000 123 3 126 
			 2001 115 5 120 
			 2001 129 7 136 
			 2003 108 1 109 
			 2004 131 8 139 
			 2005 116 2 118 
		
	
	A non-risk bearing Airprox is one that falls into category C (where no risk of collision existed) or D (where the risk cannot be determined).
	Final reports into each event are available in hard copy, if required, from the UK Airprox Board. The more recent reports are also available from the UK Airprox Board's website at:
	www.airproxboard.org.uk.

Sir Alistair Graham

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to question 80515, how many days a year were expected from Sir Alistair Graham as  (a) a member of the British Transport Police Committee and  (b) Chairman of the British Transport Police Authority.

Gillian Merron: Sir Alistair Graham was appointed Chairman of the British Transport Police Authority on 1 July 2004. This is a part-time appointment equivalent to 60 days per year.
	On 2 February 2004 he was appointed as a member of the British Transport Police Committee with the role of Chairman-designate of the British Transport Police Authority. No time commitment was specified.

Alternative Aircraft Fuels

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will examine options for development of alternatives to kerosene as a fuel for aircraft.

Gillian Merron: The UK project The Potential for Renewable Energy Sources in Aviation produced by Imperial College Centre for Energy, Policy and Technology in 2003 for DTI, studied the options for potential renewable fuels for civil aviation. The study examined a whole range of alternative fuels and energy sources. Any viable option would be significantly more expensive to produce than the cost of kerosene today. In general, renewable fuels are more likely to be used for road transport or electricity generation in preference to aviation.
	The full report can be found at:
	http://www.iccept.ic.ac.uk/pdfs/PRESAV%20final %20report%2003Sep03.pdf

Boat Safety Scheme

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require holiday boat companies to display on all vessels a copy of the current Boat Safety Scheme certificate; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: I have been asked to reply.
	No. Vessels cannot be licensed (or registered) for use on the waterways unless a valid Boat Safety Scheme certificate is in force for those vessels to which the Scheme applies. There is therefore no need to require a copy of the certificate itself to be displayed.

Bus Companies

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus companies there are in England.

Gillian Merron: Information on the number of bus companies is not collected centrally. However, there are approximately 1,700 bus companies or their subsidiaries currently claiming bus service operators grant from the Department.

Buses (No Smoking Policies)

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice his Department gives to bus companies on the operation of no smoking policies on their vehicles.

Gillian Merron: It is common practice today for local bus services to operate a policy which requires all buses to be smoke-free. Regulations do provide for enforcement where restrictions exist.
	For the future, Part 1 of the Health Act 2006 will require all buses to be smoke-free from the summer of 2007.
	The Department for Health launched a consultation on regulations under these provisions on 17 July and will be publishing guidance.

Criminal Offences

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997.

Gillian Merron: Since the Department for Transport was created in May 2002 it has sponsored 13 Orders in Council.
	Of these, the only Order remaining in force which contains a criminal offence is the Air Navigation Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/1970). That Order amended and restated provisions contained in earlier Air Navigation Orders.
	Article 148 of the Order provides (across four separate paragraphs) that it is a criminal offence to contravene any provision of the Order, or any regulations made under the Order or under specified European legislation. This could be categorised as a single offence which can be committed in numerous ways or as numerous offences.
	Article 3(5) of the Order provides for offences to be deemed to have been committed in respect of certain aircraft in certain circumstances. These could be considered to be separate offences, or to be an extension of the original offences.
	The Department also sponsored the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Order 2006 (S.I.2006/1248). This Order does not create any offences itself. However, article 2 authorises the Secretary of State to make regulations for the purpose of giving effect to the Protocol of 1997 to the Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified. Article 3 provides that the Secretary of State's regulations may provide for the contravention of those regulations to be criminal offences.

Delegated Examiners

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department maintains a register of Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners.

Stephen Ladyman: The register of delegated examiners authorised to conduct Passenger Carrying Vehicles is held by the Driving Standards Agency.

Delegated Examiners

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many approved Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners there are.

Stephen Ladyman: There are 75 approved Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners.

Delegated Examiners

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what checks are in place to ensure that Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners only test people who are employed by their own company.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) regularly checks the driving tests conducted by delegated examiners for consistency and fairness.
	When the delegated examiners are quality assured by DSA supervising examiners, checks undertaken as part of the supervision are to confirm the eligibility of the candidates and delegated examiners.
	In addition, regulations place the burden on the employers of delegated examiners to ensure that their examiners test only their companies' own employees.
	If there is suspicion of malpractice, an investigation by DSA would be conducted.

Delegated Examiners

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus companies have Passenger Carrying Vehicle delegated examiners.

Stephen Ladyman: There are 74 bus companies which have delegated examiners testing for them. Of these, 70 have a substantive examiner, while the remaining four use examiners from a sister company.

Delegated Examiners

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was of passenger carrying vehicle delegated examiners taking their training at Cardington for each of the last three financial years.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has no records of any Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) delegated examiners failing the training course at Cardington during the period specified.

Delegated Examiners

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger carrying vehicle delegated driving examiners had their licence removed by the Driving Standards Agency in each of the last six financial years.

Stephen Ladyman: There is no record of any passenger carrying vehicle delegated examiner being removed from the DSA register of delegated examiners in any of the previous six years.

Delegated Examiners

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was in each of the last three financial years for driving tests conducted by the Driving Standards Agency approved passenger carrying vehicle delegated driving examiners; and how many drivers passed in each year.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			   Pass rate (Percentage)  Passes 
			 2003-04 59.8 10,785 
			 2004-05 59.7 8,530 
			 2005-06 59.1 8,438

Departmental Correspondence

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 489-90W to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East, on departmental correspondence, what the cost was of processing returned letters where the addressee has moved away or died.

Gillian Merron: No information is available other than for the costs involved in the investigation and handling of undelivered vehicle Registration Certificates. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency estimate that the cost of handling all undelivered Registration Certificates is approximately 160,000 annually. This amount relates to all undelivered Certificates including those returned where the addressee has moved away or has died, which together account for approximately 13.5 per cent. of the total undelivered.

Departmental Data

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2006,  Official Report, columns 490-1W, to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East, on departmental data, with which other  (a) departments and  (b) public sector organisations his Department shares data.

Gillian Merron: The Agencies listed in the answer given on 10 January 2006 share data with other  (a) departments, and  (b) public sector organisations, on the following basis:
	 DVLA
	Government Departments that have statutory powers to obtain information from DVLA include:
	HM Revenue and Customs for tax related purposes
	Child Support Agency to trace absent parents
	Court Service for enforcement of fines etc
	Environment Agency for investigating criminal offences
	Criminal Case Review Commission for investigating criminal cases
	Department of Work and Pensions for investigating benefit fraud
	Other Department of Transport Agencies
	What information is released and for what purpose is prescribed in the applicable legislation.
	Public Sector organisations that receive information include:
	Local Authorities investigating an offence or a decriminalised parking contravention
	Trading Standards offices investigating vehicle related offences
	Transport for London for the enforcement of congestion charging schemes
	Local Authorities/Housing Associations dealing with abandoned vehicles
	Regulations permitting the release of information to public sector organisations apply only to information held on the vehicle register. Information held on the driver register is not released.
	 DSA
	Data are currently shared on a regular basis with DfT and all of its Agencies, including DVLA.
	On a case-by-case basis, information has also been released to the following Government Departments and Public Sector bodies
	HM Revenue and Customs
	Department for Work and Persons
	Child Support Agency
	Traffic Commissioners
	Passport Office
	Immigration Service
	Public Carriage Service
	Environmental Health Department
	NHS Fraud Investigators
	Police
	Local Authorities
	 MCA
	The Agency does not share data with other Departments or Public Sector organisations as a matter of routine, although specific requests from law enforcement bodies are considered on a case-by-case basis.
	 VOSA
	The Agency does not share data with other Departments or Public Sector organisations.

Departmental Reorganisation Strategies

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2006,  Official Report, column 562W, on Reorganisation Strategies for DfT, what principles of fairness and transparency are included in Reorganisation Strategies for DfT.

Gillian Merron: The Reorganisation Strategies for the Department's Shared Service Programme are based on the principles that all staff will be treated in line with the Department's equal opportunities and diversity policies and redundancy arrangements.
	The Department will comply fully with any legislation which binds the Crown or which Ministers have undertaken to apply as if it were binding on the Crown (as set out in the 'Introduction of the Civil Service Management Code'). The Department will also follow the Codes of Practices and Guidance produced by the Commissions for racial equality, disability rights and equal opportunities.

Departmental Staff (Sickness Absence)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2006,  Official Report, column 561W, on departmental staff, how many members of staff in his Department have had  (a) two or more and  (b) five or more periods of sickness absence in two or more of the years for which he has provided figures.

Gillian Merron: This level of detail is not readily available across the Department and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff (Sickness Absence)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2006,  Official Report, column 561W, on departmental staff, to what he attributes the increase in the number of staff with  (a) two and  (b) five or more periods of sickness absence of less than five days over the last three years.

Gillian Merron: The Department's overall sick absence figures have gone up from 2003 to 2005. The different periods of sick absence asked in the earlier question (UIN 73114) fluctuates from one year to the next when looking at specific parts of the organisation. We attribute part of the increase in our figures to raising the profile of attendance management and more accurate recording of absence.

Disabled Staff

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was paid to his Department from the Access to Work scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget he plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Department does not centrally collect data pertaining to funds paid for disabled staff under the Access to Work scheme, due to the application being made directly between the applicant and the Department for Works and Pensions.
	The withdrawal of funding is likely to have some impact on existing budgets but as requirements for reasonable adjustments are considered on a case by case basis; if existing budgets cannot meet the demand, a case will be submitted for additional funding from other budgets.

East London Line

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his consent is required to allow Transport for London to enter into agreements with outside contractors to carry out station or train operating functions on the East London line.

Derek Twigg: The contractualisation of station and train operating functions on the East London line is a matter for Transport for London and the explicit agreement of the Secretary of State is not required.

First Capital Connect

Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the Managing Director of First Capital Connect arranges to meet the hon. Member for Bedford in order to discuss matters relating to the hon. Member's constituents.

Derek Twigg: The Secretary of State has no contractual locus to ensure that the Managing Director of First Capital Connect arranges to meet my hon. Friend. However my officials have communicated his wish to meet to the Managing Director of First Capital Connect.

Helicopters

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) regulations and  (b) flight path restrictions apply to (i) single engine helicopters and (ii) twin engine helicopters when flying over the Greater London area.

Gillian Merron: The Rules of the Air Regulations and the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Specified Area) Regulations govern flight by helicopters over London. The former regulations specify the minimum height at which a helicopter may operate, the latter regulations prohibit single engine helicopters from the central area of London below such a height as would enable them to alight clear of that area in the event of an engine failure.
	Helicopters are required to follow published routes over London subject to an air traffic control clearance. The routes, detailed in the UK Aeronautical Information Publication published by the CAA, are designed to provide maximum safety in respect of single engine helicopter traffic by avoiding built-up areas as much as possible. Twin engine helicopters, such as those operated by the emergency services, may be cleared to fly outside those routes according to their specific requirements and the Rules of the Air.
	In addition, an aircraft flying in accordance with the terms of a police air operator's certificate (PAOC) is exempt from certain parts of the Rules of the Air Regulations, including the low flying rule, if the aircraft is flown in accordance with the Police Air Operations Manual (CAP 612), published by the Civil Aviation Authority (www.caa.co.uk). In London, the Metropolitan police and the Surrey police have been granted PAOCs and may be permitted to hover above particular locations depending on the operational requirement.

Helicopters

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving helicopters have occurred in London in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: In replying to the question the definition of London is taken as the area bounded by the M25 and the definitions of accident and incident are as stated in Statutory Instrument 1996 No 2798: The Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 1996.
	
		
			   Number of 
			   Accidents  Incidents 
			 2001   
			 2002 1 1 
			 2003 2  
			 2004 1 1 
			 2005   
			 2006 (1)2  
			 (1 )To date.

Helicopters

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated since 1988 on noise pollution from helicopter use over (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) the Greater London area.

Gillian Merron: The Department has not commissioned any substantial new work on helicopter noise since that carried out for the London Heliport Study in 1992-94 and published in 1995.

Freight Trains

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many freight trains carrying  (a) nuclear products and  (b) hazardous material have travelled through (i) Brent and (ii) Brent, East in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department does not hold or maintain such records. The transport of dangerous goods by rail, including radioactive material, is subject to strict regulation, based upon internationally agreed provisions, to minimise the risk to members of the public, workers and the environment.

Highways Expenditure

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much highway funding per capita was made available in the Yorkshire and Humber Region in 2005-06.

Gillian Merron: For 2005-06, the Department made a capital allocation of 76.588 million to local highway authorities in the Yorkshire and the Humber Region, as part of the Local Transport Plan settlement. It is for the local highway authorities to determine how their capital highway maintenance allocations are spent, in line with their local transport plan and their priorities.
	In addition, the Highways Agency provided capital funding of 9.158 million for trunk roads and motorways in their area 12, which is their equivalent, but not an exact geographical area. Based on a Yorkshire and Humber region population of 4,964,833 (2001 Census), this represents an estimated capital funding of 17.27 per person.
	Local authorities can also allocate other sources of Government support for capital funding to highways. Besides this, street lighting contracts in Leeds and Wakefield will benefit from 110.8 million of PFI credits.
	The Revenue Support Grant (RSG) from the Department for Communities and Local Government provides revenue funding for highway maintenance. However, RSG is unhypothecated and may be applied by local authorities to any services.

Journey Times

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require the local authorities in each of the 10 largest urban areas in England to make an assessment of how journey times per mile can be reduced by road users using motorcycles, scooters or mopeds for urban journeys.

Gillian Merron: It is for each local authority to determine how best to tackle congestion in their area, consistent with local priorities and circumstances. Local authorities' plans for tackling congestion are included in their 'Local Transport Plans', published in March (for London, the Transport for London business plan).

Liverpool Street/Stratford (Trackside Buildings)

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will have discussions with Network Rail, the One Railway Company and organisers of the London 2012 Olympics on improving the appearance of the buildings, structures and trackside between London Liverpool Street Station and Stratford Station.

Derek Twigg: As the operator and owner of the national rail network, Network Rail has responsibility for trackside maintenance and appearance and between now and the games. We will discuss with them and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) what practical steps can be taken to improve the appearance of the route. The Olympic Transport Plan is due to be issued for consultation in the autumn by the ODA and will include the arrangements for working with the rail industry on the transport required to stage the games.

Local Transport Budgets

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria were used in deciding to reduce Stoke-on-Trent city council's transport budget for each year until 2010.

Gillian Merron: The levels of Stoke-on-Trent city council's transport budgets are ultimately a matter for the council to determine. Government funding support for local transport in Stoke is provided in a variety of ways including through the revenue support grant, which is not allocated between individual council services.
	Government support for councils' transport capital programmes is provided in three main areas. The support provided to Stoke-on-Trent city council for one of those areas is planned to reduce.
	This is because, following consultation, a formula is being introduced over the five years up to 2010-11 to distribute much of the support for integrated transport improvements over the next five years. The factors considered in this formula are set out in my reply of 4 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 922-23W.
	Further details of its rationale can be found in the paper about financial planning guidelines for local transport plans on the Department's website (www.dft.gov.uk) in the consultation paper sub-section of the regional and local transport section.
	Stoke-on-Trent city council has been issued with planning guidelines for this part of its funding support for the years 2007-08 to 2010-11. Stoke-on-Trent city council may mitigate the planned funding reduction in a number of ways, including through demonstrating strong delivery of its previous programme.

London Transport (Offences)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many offences were committed on London Transport in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to offences committed on the London Underground system and on the rail system in London is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, E-mail:
	general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.

M40

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the projected increase in traffic flow between junctions 3 and 7 of the M40 for each year between 2006 and 2026.

Stephen Ladyman: The table shows the factors by which the previous year's traffic flows would be multiplied in each year, according to current long-term forecasts in themselves, as outcomes for each year will vary in ways that reflect unpredictable events and other short term factors.
	
		
			   OV( 1)  HGV( 2) 
			 2005 to 2006 1.0165 1.0255 
			 2006 to 2007 1.0165 1.0255 
			 2007 to 2008 1.0146 1.0244 
			 2008 to 2009 1.0146 1.0244 
			 2009 to 2010 1.0146 1.0244 
			 2010 to 2011 1.0146 1.0244 
			 2011 to 2012 1.0146 1.0244 
			 2012 to 2013 1.0137 1.0252 
			 2013 to 2014 1.0137 1.0252 
			 2014 to 2015 1.0137 1.0252 
			 2015 to 2016 1.0137 1.0252 
			 2016 to 2017 1.0137 1.0252 
			 2017 to 2018 1.0101 1.0239 
			 2018 to 2019 1.0101 1.0239 
			 2019 to 2020 1.0101 1.0239 
			 2020 to 2021 1.0101 1.0239 
			 2021 to 2022 1.0101 1.0239 
			 2022 to 2023 1.0069 1.0227 
			 2023 to 2024 1.0069 1.0227 
			 2024 to 2025 1.0069 1.0227 
			 2025 to 2026 1.0069 1.0227 
			 2026 to 2027 1.0069 1.0227 
			 (1) Vehicles below 5 metres in length  (2) Vehicles above 5 metres in length

Ministerial Journeys

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ministerial journeys he has made on public transport in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: Since the Department for Transport was formed on 29 May 2002, my right hon. friend the Secretary of State and his predecessor have made 221 journeys on ministerial business using scheduled public transport for which the Department has paid. The number undertaken in each financial year is:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2002-03 30 
			 2003-04 63 
			 2004-05 55 
			 2005-06 62 
			 2006-07(1) 11 
			 (1)Up to 5 July 2006. 
		
	
	No information is available on short journeys which may have been made using public transport locally during the course of visits or in undertaking visits within London.

Ministerial Offices

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Secretary of State's office has been decorated once in the last five years, in 2002-03.

Nightstar Rolling Stock

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who received the revenue from the sale to Canada of Nightstar rolling stock; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The proceeds from the sale were credited to London and Continental Railways.

Nightstar Rolling Stock

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent from public funds on the manufacture of Nightstar rolling stock; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The order for Nightstar stock was placed in 1992 by European night services, a consortium of European railway operators, which included British Rail.
	The financial consequences of the decision not to proceed with Nightstar services were described by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in his statement to the House of 3 June 1998.

Noise Hotspots

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the Highways Agency's report An Assessment of Noise Hotspots Alongside the M40.

Stephen Ladyman: The report has just been finalised and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The report is to be published on the Highways Agency's website shortly.

Noise Severity Index

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will alter the formula for calculating the noise severity index to take account of the local environment.

Stephen Ladyman: No. The calculation of the index is already carried out in such a way as to ensure resources are targeted at locations where noise levels are greatest and where the greatest number of people would derive benefit from the measures taken.

North London Line

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many journeys were subject to delays on the North London line in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The information is not held by the Department in the format requested. Information on delayed trains is held by Network Rail.

North London Line

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) assaults and  (b) robberies there were on the North London line in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to assaults and robberies on the North London line is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, E-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.

North London Line

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many freight journeys there were on the North London line in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport does not hold this information.

Ministerial Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Gillian Merron: Between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2006 the current Secretary of State and his predecessor visited the English regions on departmental business as set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Region  Number of visits 
			 South East 3 
			 South West 2 
			 East Midlands 4 
			 West Midlands 2 
			 East of England 2 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 2 
			 North East 1 
			 North West 3

Outsourcing

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what administrative functions for which his Department is responsible are outsourced overseas; and what assessment he has made of the merits of outsourcing further such functions overseas.

Gillian Merron: The Department and its component agencies have no administrative functions outsourced overseas. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has, in the past, looked at outsourcing its customer call centre function. This option was rejected following a full analysis of the economic and social impact and the potential effect on customer service levels.

Parliamentary Questions

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he issues to officials in his Department on the use of publicly available information such as external websites in answers to parliamentary questions.

Gillian Merron: The approach taken by departmental staff is that where the information requested in parliamentary questions is easily available, such as in the House Libraries or on websites, hon. Members are advised accordingly.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than  (a) two and  (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case.

Gillian Merron: As at 19 July 2006, 35 Department for Transport parliamentary questions which were due to be answered on 10 July 2006 or before were awaiting a reply, one of which has been waiting more than two weeks.

Passenger Transport Executives

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1700W, on the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, what the equivalent figures are for each of the other Passenger Transport Executive areas.

Gillian Merron: The total funds allocated by the Department for Transport in the annual settlement and in grants to Passenger Transport Executives in England are shown in the following table. These totals include funding for rail, bus services and local transport. In the case of rail and bus service funding, these allocations are entirely in the form of grant. Local Transport Plan funding covers integrated transport block (for small schemes), maintenance and major projects, and is allocated as a combination of capital grant and supported borrowing. 2005-06 figures are provisional and subject to audit.
	
		
			   million 
			  Passenger Transport Executive  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Merseyside 105.8 110.3 112.8 110.1 101.7 
			 West Midlands 60.3 60.6 63.3 87.0 82.3 
			 Tyne and Wear 22.3 19.9 26.4 19.7 9.2 
			 West Yorkshire 62.6 70.9 91.7 111 64.1 
			 South Yorkshire 50.5 36.1 36.5 30.6 29.0

Questionnaires

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) questionnaires,  (b) statistical inquiries and  (c) investigations have been carried out, wholly or partly at public expense on behalf of or by his Department in each year since 1997; and what the (i) nature, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost was of each.

Gillian Merron: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Rail Fares

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the elasticity of demand of rail fares.

Derek Twigg: Rail fare demand elasticity is assessed and researched jointly by the Department and train operators. The findings are commercially confidential.
	The Department also has a research programme to develop its own understanding of the relationship between fares and other demand factors. The first phase of this work is due to report during 2007.

Rail Freight Interchanges

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what environmental factors are taken into account when deciding where to grant permission for a rail freight interchange.

Derek Twigg: Granting of planning permission for freight interchanges is a matter for local authorities. Planning guidance is published by the Department for Communities and Local Government and is available on their web site at www.communities.gov.uk .

Rail Freight Interchanges

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will visit the proposed site for a rail freight interchange in Park Street, St. Albans.

Derek Twigg: The possible development of a rail freight interchange is a matter between the private sector developer and the local authority.

Rail Freight Interchanges

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria his Department took into account when deciding there was a need for four rail freight interchanges.

Derek Twigg: Consideration for the national provision of rail freight interchanges was undertaken by the Strategic Rail Authority. Their Strategic Rail Freight Interchange Policy was published in March 2004. The SRA has since been abolished but a copy of this document and a note of its current status is available on our website at www.dft.gov.uk.

Rail Freight Interchanges

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent studies have been undertaken on the capacity of the rail systems around London to accommodate freight; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Network Rail will be publishing the Cross London Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS), which deals with the availability of rail capacity around London, towards the end of August 2006. A network-wide Freight RUS is also in the course of preparation, and a consultation draft will be available shortly.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has established a working group in his Department to carry out a feasibility study into the potential of additional high speed rail lines.

Derek Twigg: The Government have a manifesto commitment to look at the feasibility and affordability of a new north-south high-speed link. The Government have committed to take this forward in the development of a long-term strategy for the railways, drawing on Sir Rod Eddington's advice on the long-term impact of transport decisions on the UK's productivity, stability and growth. The Department has established a working group to look at a range of options for inter-urban rail travel including, but not restricted to, high speed lines. The group's work will contribute to the long term strategy for the railways to be published in summer 2007.

Railways

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many passengers on average used the Cambridge to London rail service during peak hours in each of the last five years; and how many used the service in each year;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the expected number of passengers using the rail service between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street during the course of the contract operated by One  (a) during peak hours and  (b) in total.

Derek Twigg: Table A shows the number of passengers arriving in the AM peak and departing in the PM evening peak at both London Kings Cross and London Liverpool Street from Cambridge for 2001 to 2005 inclusive.
	Table B shows the number of passengers arriving in the AM peak and departing in the PM peak at London Liverpool Street from Cambridge for the years 2004 and 2005.
	
		
			  Table A 
			   Cambridge-London( 1)  AM  London-Cambridge( 1) PM 
			 2001 7,839 7,381 
			 2002 7,832 7,512 
			 2003 7,839 7,637 
			 2004 10,383 9,336 
			 2005 10,896 9,825 
			 (1) Figures are for arrivals and departures at both London Kings Cross and London Liverpool Street. In 2004 service became 'One' Railway and now includes Cambridge trains previously operated by WAGN. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B 
			   Cambridge-London Liverpool Street AM  London Liverpool Street-Cambridge PM 
			 2004 5,039 5,545 
			 2005 5,362 4,505 
		
	
	Prior to the letting of the Greater Anglia franchise, the Department for Transport estimated in its specification for that franchise that the number of passengers using the West Anglia routes in the peak to be just under 20 million in 2001 and just above 21.5 million in 2011. It estimated the number of passengers using the West Anglia routes in the off peak to be 11 million in 2001 and forecast that it would be approximately 14 million by 2011.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government have taken to improve rail services between Swindon and Westbury and at intermediate towns to provide transport alternatives for the new housing planned in the area.

Derek Twigg: Improving rail performance is a key objective for the Department for Transport. Joint action plans are in place between Network Rail and First Great Western to address performance issues, including the Swindon to Westbury route. These are monitored monthly.
	Demand for rail services between Westbury and Swindon is concentrated at peak periods, and the Government have specified direct train services at these times.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which routes  (a) are and  (b) are expected by 2014 to be carrying trains which are loaded with passengers to a level that is in excess of capacity.

Derek Twigg: The Passengers in Excess of Capacity (PIXC) measure only applies to London commuter services.
	The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) publishes PIXC figures in its National Rail Trends publication, the most recent version of which was published on 5 July 2006.
	The document is on the internet at the following address http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/294.pdf and has been made available in the Library of the House.
	Network Rail's Route Utilisation Strategies forecast passenger demand and identify where this might exceed current peak capacity. Network Rail has recently published an overview of this in its Initial Strategic Business Plan for the period from 2008-09 to 2013-14.
	The Department for Transport is now undertaking a network appraisal of passenger demand to inform the development of the High Level Output Specification, assisted by the work done by Network Rail. Increased passenger capacity is one of the three key outputs that will be sought through the HLOS, the others being safety and reliability. The HLOS will set out the railway the Government wish to procure for 2008-09 to 2013-14 and the funds it will make available for this, and will be published in July 2007.

Road Schemes

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what potential carbon dioxide impacts have been included in the Appraisal Summary Tables of local authority road schemes approved through the Local Transport Plans since 2000.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 8 May 2006,  Official Report, column 23W. Information on the carbon dioxide impacts of each road scheme approved since 2000 through local transport plans could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Road Statistics

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the  (a) total number of accidents,  (b) average daily traffic flow and  (c) accident rate per million vehicle kilometres was for the stretch of (i) A14 between Girton and Cambridge, (ii) the A10 between Cambridge and Ely and (iii) the A1307 between Haverhill and Cambridge in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of personal injury road accidents reported to the police, the annual average daily traffic flow and the accident rate per million vehicle kilometres, for the roads requested are given in the following tables.
	The number of damage only accidents is not available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Accidents, average daily traffic flow, and accident rate per million vehicle kilometres on the A14 between where it joins the A428 in Girton and the A10 in Cambridge: 1997-2005 
			   Accidents( 1)  AADF( 2)  Accident rate( 3) 
			 1997 26 53,587 0.2 
			 1998 31 49,775 0.3 
			 1999 16 53,682 0.1 
			 2000 20 51 ,447 0.2 
			 2001 18 56,847 0.2 
			 2002 22 57,068 0.2 
			 2003 21 56,541 0.2 
			 2004 22 53,589 0.2 
			 2005 17 54,470 0.2 
			 (1) Personal injury road accidents reported to the police. (2) Annual average daily traffic flow. (3) Accident rate per million vehicle km's. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Accidents, average daily traffic flow, and accident rate per million vehicle kilometres on the A10 between where it joins the A14 in Cambridge and the junction with the A142 in Elys: 1997-2005 
			   Accidents( 1)  AADF( 2)  Accident Rate( 3) 
			 1997 55 14,656 0.4 
			 1998 62 14,994 0.4 
			 1999 52 14,921 0.3 
			 2000 73 14,807 0.5 
			 2001 67 16,360 0.4 
			 2002 58 16,769 0.3 
			 2003 52 16,522 0.3 
			 2004 70 17,775 0.4 
			 2005 53 17,353 0.3 
			 (1) Personal Injury road accidents reported to the police (2) Annual average dally traffic flow (3) Accident rate per million vehicle km's. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Accidents, average daily traffic flow, and accident rate per million vehicle kilometres on the A1307 between the junctions with A143 in Haverhill and the A1134 in Cambridge: 1997-2005 
			   Accidents( 1)  AADF( 2)  Accident Rate( 3) 
			 1997 106 14,752 0.8 
			 1998 114 15,071 0.8 
			 1999 96 15,279 0.7 
			 2000 135 15,603 0.9 
			 2001 114 15,641 0.8 
			 2002 106 16,071 0.7 
			 2003 97 16,372 0.6 
			 2004 103 16,261 0.7 
			 2005 81 15,735 0.5 
			 (1) Personal Injury road accidents reported to the police (2) Annual average dally traffic flow (3) Accident rate per million vehicle km's.

Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the protection offered under the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998, in conjunction with the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994, for European wildlife sites in respect of ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other cargoes in harbour authority areas.

Stephen Ladyman: In the recent case of Forth Ports' proposal to carry out ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth, the Department concluded that Forth Ports has powers to regulate (and if necessary, prevent) ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth. Forth Ports also has power under byelaws enacted under local legislation to regulate whether vessels can anchor to transfer cargo. As a competent authority under the habitats regulations, Forth Ports also must have regard to the requirements of the habitats directive insofar as they may be affected by the exercise of its functions.
	Additionally, under regulation 44 of the habitats regulations, there is provision to license activities that could disturb a European protected species, or damage or destroy breeding sites or resting places. As this is for a devolved purpose, it is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive to determine whether a licence would be required for ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth.

Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms are available to regulate programmes of ship-to-ship transfer of oil proposed to be carried out for commercial purposes  (a) within harbour authority areas and  (b) elsewhere in UK internal and territorial waters.

Stephen Ladyman: Within statutory harbour authority areas, the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation Convention) Regulations 1998 apply. The regulations require harbour authorities to have an oil spill contingency plan (OSCP) approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. These plans include a risk assessment and the provision of oil combating equipment commensurate to the identified risk. The approval of harbour authority OSCPs does not grant permission for the activities identified within the plan to take place. It is the role of the harbour authority through appropriate byelaws to decide whether to permit these activities.

Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what compensation under the Habitats Directive will be available if the proposed ship-to-ship oil transfer planning applications by Melbourne marine services in the Firth of Forth is approved.

Stephen Ladyman: The role of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, for which the Secretary of State for Transport has responsibility, is limited to amending and approving oil spill contingency plans. Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive, which is the Article which refers to compensatory measures, does not apply in this case because the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has concluded that the submitted oil spill contingency plan covering ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth and the amendments to the overarching Clearwater Forth contingency plan will not have any adverse effects on the integrity of the relevant nature conservation sites, or on relevant species such as seals and seabirds outside those sites.
	Furthermore, under regulation 44 of the Habitats Regulations, there is provision to license activities that could disturb a European protected species, or damage or destroy breeding sites or resting places. As this is for a devolved purpose, it is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive to determine whether a licence would be required for ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth.

Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of whether the ship-to-ship oil transfer planning application in the Firth of Forth by Melbourne maritime services fulfils the criterion set out in the Habitats Directive that the project must be in the overriding public interest.

Stephen Ladyman: It is for Forth Ports, as the competent harbour authority, to decide whether to permit ship-to-ship transfers.
	Furthermore, under regulation 44 of the Habitats Regulations, there is provision to license activities that could disturb a European protected species, or damage or destroy breeding sites or resting places. As this is for a devolved purpose, it is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive to determine whether a licence would be required for ship-to-ship transfers in the Firth of Forth.

Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions  (a) he and  (b) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency had with the (i) Scottish Executive and (ii) the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency regarding the ship-to-ship oil transfer planning application by Melbourne Marine Services in the Firth of Forth.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department and its Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) are in regular contact with the Scottish Executive and its agencies on a number of issues, including this one.

Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation the Maritime and Coastguard Agency undertook with local authorities regarding the ship-to-ship oil transfer planning application by Melbourne Marine Services in the Firth of Forth.

Stephen Ladyman: The role of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is limited to approving or amending oil spill contingency plans.
	Forth Ports plc. was required, in accordance with published MCA guidance entitled Contingency Planning for Marine Pollution Preparedness and Response: Guidelines for Ports, to consult a range of consultees before formally submitting the oil spill contingency plans for approval. The list of consultees included the local authorities for the area concerned.
	The MCA hosted a stakeholder meeting in Grangemouth on 25 July 2005 in which East Lothian Council, Fife Council, Forth Ports, Melbourne Marine Services, the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage all participated.
	A public consultation was also held by the MCA to assess the implications for relevant nature conservation sites of Forth Ports' oil spill contingency plans. A number of local authorities for the area concerned responded as consultees.
	In light of the consultation responses and taking into account the advice of Scottish Natural Heritage, the statutory nature conservation authority, the MCA finalised its assessment and considered whether any amendments to the plan were required.
	The MCA announced on 14 July 2006 its intention to approve the submitted plans, subject to a number of specified changes.

Ship-to-Ship Oil Transfers

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission regarding the ship-to-ship oil transfer in the Firth of Forth in the context of the Habitats Directive.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department has had no such discussions with the European Commission.

Smoking Ban (Railway Stations)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with  (a) Network Rail and  (b) train operators on the introduction of the ban on smoking in railway stations in 2007.

Derek Twigg: Network Rail and the Association of Train Operating Companies were among those whose views were sought as the Health Bill progressed through Parliament. The rail industry has a further opportunity to comment through a consultation (which began on 17 July) on Regulations which it is proposed will be made now that the Bill has received Royal Assent.

South Coast Study (Bristol/Bath)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why his Department decided to pursue a timetable specification that does not accord with the findings of the Bristol/Bath to South Coast Study.

Derek Twigg: In preparation of the Greater Western franchise specification, an assessment was made of the existing and future demand for passenger rail traffic on the Cardiff/Bristol to Southampton/Portsmouth rail corridor; this confirmed that the existing hourly train service was adequate to cater for the demand.

Staff Absenteeism

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1272W, on staff absenteeism, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the average cost of an employee's absence between 2003 and 2004.

Gillian Merron: When comparing the years 2003 and 2004 the estimated total cost of absenteeism provided in the previous answer has actually gone down. The costs were calculated by multiplying the total number of days lost to sick absence by the average daily cost used by the Cabinet Office in the annual report Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service. There was a small increase in the average daily cost figure between the two years.

Street Lighting

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on street lighting remaining on after 1am.

Gillian Merron: Street lighting service levels are a matter for individual highway authorities.
	The effects of reducing lighting levels or turning lights off will vary from case to case. Any cost savings from reduced energy use would have to be balanced against potential adverse effects, for example on accidents or crime.
	The Department is represented on the UK Lighting Board, which has already prepared Well-lit Highways, the code of practice on highway lighting management (December 2004, TSO). The board is currently preparing additional guidance for authorities on the implications of dimming or turning off lights.

Street Lighting

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate how many tons of carbon would be saved by switching off street lights at 1am.

Gillian Merron: There are approximately 5 million street lighting columns in England, but no comprehensive information is collected centrally relating to their energy consumption.

Street Lighting

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of street lights which  (a) are solar-powered,  (b) are wind-powered and  (c) have light sensitive switches.

Gillian Merron: Street lighting is a matter for each individual highway authority. No information is collected centrally concerning the proportion of street lights which are wind-powered, whether directly or through sustainable energy contracts. There are no economically viable solar power systems available at present. Although precise figures are not centrally collected, more than 90 per cent. of English local authorities' five million street lights are controlled by photo-electric cells, as are the great majority of those on the Highways Agency's network.

Taxi Access

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce taxi access regulations under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 before 2010.

Gillian Merron: The Government do not intend to bring forward the introduction of taxi accessibility regulations under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, ahead of the proposals announced in the House on 26 October 2003. These would see the phasing in of regulations, under Part 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in specified licensing areas from 2010 (for all newly licensed vehicles), with full compliance by 2020.
	The 2010 date has been proposed to accommodate a full public consultation process, to give sufficient time for vehicle manufacturers and converters to produce new models that meet the regulations, and to give the trade sufficient time to adapt to the change.
	We are currently developing the technical specification which will form the basis for the regulations.
	In the period before regulations are introduced, local licensing authorities remain free to introduce their own accessibility policies and many have done so already.

Thameslink

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions were made about the  (a) level of fares and  (b) number of passengers to be carried at peak times in the successful bid by First Capital Connect for the Thameslink franchise; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The First Capital Connect bid was consistent with the current fares policy. Unregulated fares and restrictions as to their use are a matter for the train operating company's commercial judgment.
	First Capital Connect forecasts increased patronage on its routes throughout the term of the franchise. The Department is working with the industry to increase the length of peak services on routes to Bedford, St. Albans and Luton so that all will have eight carriages by the end of 2009.

Thameslink

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the companies bidding for the former Thameslink franchise incorporated  (a) passenger reductions and  (b) fare increases in their base line bid; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: We cap the price of regulated fares. It is a commercial decision for Train Operators to set unregulated fares and to set individual regulated fares within the regulatory constraint.
	Three of the five bidders for the Thameslink/Great Northern franchise put forward proposals for demand management in order to address the level of crowding on particular services. No bidder included proposals for passenger reduction.

Train Operating Companies

Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued to train operating companies regarding their communication with hon. Members.

Derek Twigg: None.

Train Services

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review peak time train services along the Brighton to London Victoria line.

Derek Twigg: Peak time services between London and Brighton are among the issues currently being considered as part of the Department's evaluation of the Brighton Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy.

Train Services

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review train services to Crowhurst, East Sussex; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Southeastern plan a major timetable review in 2007, ahead of the introduction of CTRL Domestic Services. This will provide an opportunity to review service patterns across the franchise.

Train Timetables

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether the formats in which train timetables are produced by Network Rail are governed by regulations;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the impact of changing to internet-only railway timetables;
	(3)  in what formats Network Rail produces train timetables; and whether changes are planned.

Derek Twigg: Network Rail's Network Licence places an obligation on it to publish or procure the publication of a national timetable of railway passenger services.
	Network Rail currently discharges this obligation by producing a National Rail Timetable in A5 format.
	Any decision to change the current, publication and distribution of the National Rail Timetable is the responsibility of Network Rail.
	The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's Chief Executive at the address below for an answer to his question:
	John Armitt, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 40 Melton Street, London NW1 2EE.

Transport Access (Disabled People)

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further plans he has to improve access to transport for disabled people in West Lancashire.

Gillian Merron: We are committed to an accessible public transport system in which disabled people have the same opportunities to travel as other members of society and have already made significant progress in this area. At a national level regulations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) have been introduced making all new rail vehicles, buses and coaches accessible to disabled people, including wheelchair users. Over 4,400 accessible rail vehicles are already in service and almost half of the bus fleet used nationwide on scheduled services is accessible. We have also announced our policy proposals for taxis. As a result, many more disabled people, are now able to use public transport and those improvements will continue as more new vehicles are introduced.
	Measures in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA 2005), which significantly extends disabled people's civil rights, will further strengthen legislation in relation to transport. The Act enables Part 3 of the DDA 1995, which covers access to goods, facilities and services, to be applied to transport services. We have already laid regulations which will cover land-based public transport (regardless of whether those vehicles are regulated under the DDA 1995), vehicle hire and breakdown services. The Disability Rights Commission has drafted a code of practice to assist transport service providers in understanding the new duties which will come into force on 4 December 2006. The Commission is also developing further, sector specific, guidance on what it might be reasonable for transport operators to do to make their services more accessible to disabled people.
	The Act also includes further measures on rail including the setting of an end date, of no later than 1 January 2020, by which time all rail vehicles will have to be fully accessible, applying accessibility regulations to older rail vehicles when they are refurbished, the introduction of compliance certification and decriminalisation of offences. We intend to have all the major provisions of the DDA 2005, including those on transport, in place by the end of December 2006 and are on course to achieve this.
	However, provision of accessible vehicles on their own is not sufficient to deliver an accessible transport system. We are also looking at this issue and have implemented the majority of the recommendations from the Social Exclusion Unit's report on transport and social exclusion (Making the Connections, 2003).
	These include the introduction of accessibility planning into the local transport planning process to encourage local authorities and other agencies to assess whether people can access key services such as health care, education and jobs.
	Accessibility planning aims to ensure that there is a clearer and more systematic approach to identifying and tackling the barriers that people, particularly those from disadvantaged groups and areas, face in accessing jobs and key services. Considering the accessibility needs of disabled people is part of this process.
	Lancashire county council's proposals for delivering improvements in accessibility are set out in its second Local Transport Plan which is available on the Council's web site at www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/ltp/index.asp.

Transport Direct Portal

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the  (a) estimated and  (b) outturn cost was in each year since inception of the (i) development and (ii) running of the Transport Direct portal.

Stephen Ladyman: Since inception, estimated and outturn spend on the Transport Direct Portal Design, Build and Operate (DBO) contract, which covers both development and operational costs, has been as follows:
	
		
			   million 
			  Period  Estimate  Outturn 
			 2002-03 1.9 1.3 
			 2003-04 9.9 9.3 
			 2004-05 8.5 9.6 
			 2005-06 9.1 9.8 
		
	
	These figures represent the total sums paid to Atos Origin (the DBO contractor) for all aspects of the DBO contract.
	The overall budget for the Transport Direct (TD) Programme, which included this contract among many other things, was 57 million (Capital and Resource) for the Period of Spending Review 2002 (April 2003 to March 2006). The overall programme budget underspent by 12 million and, with the agreement of the TD Programme and Project Boards, funds were transferred from the TD Programme to the Portal DBO contract to reflect the fact that some of the work originally envisaged as programme was undertaken within the project. This accounts for the minor overspends noted above against 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Transport Infrastructures (High Temperatures)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the abilities of the  (a) rail and  (b) road infrastructure to cope in temperatures greater than 30 degrees centigrade.

Derek Twigg: Bituminous road surfacing can be susceptible to extremes in temperature causing deformation, usually in the form of rutting. High temperatures can also reduce the skid resistance of the surface.
	Design and maintenance of the local road network in England are matters for individual local highway authorities, and no central assessment has been made of their susceptibility to high temperatures. The UK Roads Board has recently published Well-maintained Highways (July 2005, TSO and at www.ukroadsliaisongroup.org ), a code of practice for highways maintenance. This specifically includes advice on dealing with high temperatures.
	On the motorway and trunk road network in England, two types of bituminous surfacing are used; hot rolled asphalt and thin surfacings. Approximately seventy per cent. of this network is covered in hot rolled asphalt that is designed to withstand road surface temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius. Thin surfacings, that cover the remainder, consist of coarse aggregate bound by hard bituminous materials and can withstand road surface temperatures of 60 degrees Celsius. All new or replacement surfacings laid by the Highways Agency on this network are thin surfacings.
	Bridges and other types of structure on the road network are designed to accommodate changes in temperatures in a way that is appropriate to their location.
	The resilience of the rail infrastructure to very high temperatures is an operational matter for Network Rail, the owner and operator of the national rail network. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for an answer to his question:
	John Armitt, Chief Executive, Network Rail, 40 Melton Street, London NW1 2EE.

Travel Costs (Royal Family)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to public funds was of the travel of HRH the Duke of York on 19 July 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: On 19 July, HRH The Duke of York undertook a number of official engagements in Cheshire and Merseyside in support of his role as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. The Queen's Helicopter was used for travel as this provided the most effective and least disruptive means for The Duke to attend seven official engagements during the day. The total cost of the four flights was 2,799.

Trunk Roads (Gravesham)

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of future traffic patterns on trunk roads in Gravesham; and whether provision has been made for possible increases in traffic.

Gillian Merron: As part of operating in partnership with key stakeholders, the Highways Agency and Kent county council are working with Gravesham and Dartford borough councils to estimate and model future traffic patterns to ensure growth is planned in the most sustainable way on both the strategic and local road networks. This work is on-going and will help inform Gravesham's Local Development Framework.

UK International Airports/Ports

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the international  (a) airports and  (b) ports in the United Kingdom.

Gillian Merron: UK airports handling international terminal passenger traffic are listed in table 10.1 of UK Airport Statistics 2005, which is published on the Civil Aviation Authority's website www.caa.co.uk. All active sea ports in the UK are potentially capable of receiving international traffic. The main sea ports which are known to handle international traffic based on returns to the Department are given in tables 1.9 and 3.1 (a) of Maritime Statistics 2004, covering freight and passenger traffic respectively. These tables are published on the Department's website www.dft.gov.uk.

Vehicle Relicensing

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what transaction charge is issued by each credit card company for relicensing vehicles on line; how the 2.50 charge to cover the costs incurred by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in providing this service was calculated; and how many credit card transactions took place in the last year for which information is available.

Stephen Ladyman: Charges applied for processing credit card transactions by the credit card companies are of a sensitive commercial nature and therefore cannot be disclosed. The 2.50 fee is calculated to cover the full cost of administering the service and is reviewed annually. The fee includes credit card costs incurred and DVLA operating costs. There have been 448,372 credit card payments since introduction of the service in November 2005.

Violence on Trains

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of violence on trains have been reported to the British Transport police in the last five years.

Derek Twigg: This information is not held by the Department for Transport. Information relating to incidents of violence on trains is held by the British Transport police who can be contacted at: British Transport police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.

PRIME MINISTER

Advertising Campaigns

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Prime Minister what advertising campaigns his Office has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the  (a) date and  (b) cost was of each.

Tony Blair: .

Background Reading

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister what publications have been provided by his civil servants as background reading for his ministerial duties since taking office; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

Cash for Peerages

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether legal representation was provided at public expense to Number 10 staff questioned by police officers in connection with the current Scotland Yard investigation into allegations regarding cash for peerages;
	(2)  whether legal representation was provided at public expense to Cabinet Office staff questioned by police officers in connection with the current Scotland Yard investigation into allegations regarding cash for peerages.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my Official Spokesman on Friday 14 July. A transcript of this is available on the No. 10 website and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

G8

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the conversation he had with the President of the US at the G8 which was broadcast by mistake.

Tony Blair: No.

Lords Appointments

Evan Harris: To ask the Prime Minister which  (a) civil servants,  (b) Ministers and  (c) others are entitled (i) to view and (ii) to know the contents of (A) application and (B) disclosure forms submitted by those who are to be proposed for peerages prior to such forms being received by the Lords Appointments Commission.

Tony Blair: Different processes apply to different categories of nominations, for example, applications made direct to the House of Lords Appointments Commission, party-political nominations, and the limited number of candidates I recommend for people in high public office on their retirement.

Ministerial Holiday Deputies

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister when he will be out of the country on holiday this summer; between what dates the Deputy Prime Minister will act in his stead; and who will deputise for the Deputy Prime Minister.

Tony Blair: For security reasons, my future engagements are announced as and when appropriate. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) at Prime Minister's questions on 12 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 1384-85.

Ministerial Meetings

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Prime Minister what trade-related  (a) missions he plans to undertake and  (b) meetings he plans to hold during the parliamentary recess.

Tony Blair: For security reasons, my future engagements are announced as and when appropriate.

Public Appointments

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister which public appointments are in his gift, apart from Ministers of the Crown; what emoluments are payable; what the comparable figures were in  (a) 1976,  (b) 1979,  (c) 1986 and  (d) 1996; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I have placed in the Libraries of the House a list of the appointments which I make.
	The remainder of the information is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

Standing Order No. 13

David Amess: To ask the Prime Minister what criteria he uses to determine when to make representations to the Speaker seeking the earlier meeting of the House under Standing Order No. 13.

Tony Blair: The criteria is set out in Part 1 of Standing Order 13.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Burglary

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic burglaries have taken place in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is published in Table 2.04 of Crime in England and Wales 2005/06, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/06. A copy of the publication is available on the Home Office website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0506.html

Capita Group

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings  (a) he and  (b) Ministers in his Department have held with directors and senior executives of (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries since 1 January 2004; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have provided input (1) in writing and (2) in person to policy discussions in his Department since 1 January 2004.

John Reid: It is not possible to answer this question without incurring disproportionate costs.

Community Support Officers

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers there are; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The most recent available information is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Police community support officer (PCSO) strength in England and Wales (full-time equivalents)( 1)  as at 30 September 2005 
			  Police force area  PCSO strength (fte) 
			 Avon and Somerset 146 
			 Bedfordshire 43 
			 Cambridgeshire 92 
			 Cheshire 77 
			 Cleveland 86 
			 Cumbria 19 
			 Derbyshire 43 
			 Devon and Cornwall 75 
			 Dorset 56 
			 Durham 72 
			 Essex 193 
			 Gloucestershire 62 
			 Greater Manchester 264 
			 Hampshire 23 
			 Hertfordshire 135 
			 Humberside 20 
			 Kent 103 
			 Lancashire 159 
			 Leicestershire 119 
			 Lincolnshire 78 
			 London, City of 14 
			 Merseyside 161 
			 Metropolitan Police 2,053 
			 Norfolk 67 
			 Northamptonshire 38 
			 Northumbria 143 
			 North Yorkshire 69 
			 Nottinghamshire 112 
			 South Yorkshire 125 
			 Staffordshire 62 
			 Suffolk 33 
			 Surrey 102 
			 Sussex 231 
			 Thames Valley 109 
			 Warwickshire 56 
			 West Mercia 86 
			 West Midlands 247 
			 West Yorkshire 433 
			 Wiltshire 38 
			 Dyfed Powys 24 
			 Gwent 81 
			 North Wales 61 
			 South Wales 116 
			 Total 43 Forces 6,324 
			 (1) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. These figures include those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.

Convictions

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who reside in  (a) Torbay and  (b) Devon and Cornwall have been prosecuted under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since it was enacted; and how many dangerous dogs have been destroyed in (i) Torbay and (ii) Devon and Cornwall in each year since 1999.

Vernon Coaker: The data requested on defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts in Devon and Cornwall police force area for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, for the years 1992-2004, are provided in the following table. It is not possible to identify defendants from Torbay as their individual circumstances are not separately collected and the data is not broken down to that level of detail.
	Information on the number of dangerous dogs destroyed is not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, Devon and Cornwall Police Force Area, 1992-2004( 1, 2) 
			  Offence description  Principal statute  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997 
			 Breeding or breeding from a fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(a)   
			 Selling, exchanging, offering, advertising or exposing for sale a fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(b)   
			 Giving or offering to give a fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(c)   
			 Allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or a lead Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(d) 5 - 
			 Abandoning or allowing to stray a fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(e)   2
			 Possession, without exemption, of a Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa or other designated fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(3) 2 2 2
			 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place injuring any person Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(1) 5 7 5 7 6 11 
			 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place, no injury being caused Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(1) 7 5 2 7 5 5 
			 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(3)  1 1 1   
			 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place causing reasonable apprehension of injury to a person Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(3) 2 1 1
			 Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 4(8) 1 1 1
			 Total all offences  22 17 14 15 11 16 
		
	
	
		
			  Offence description  Principal statute  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Breeding or breeding from a fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(a)  1  
			 Selling, exchanging, offering, advertising or exposing for sale a fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(b)
			 Giving or offering to give a fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(c)
			 Allowing a fighting dog to be in a public place without a muzzle or a lead Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(d)  4 1 
			 Abandoning or allowing to stray a fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(2)(e) 1   
			 Possession, without exemption, of a Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa or other designated fighting dog Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 1(3) 1   
			 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place injuring any person Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(1) 15 12 17 19 22 27 17 
			 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place, no injury being caused Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(1) 7 8 8 8 7 8 7 
			 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place and injure any person Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(3)  1  2   1 
			 Owner or person in charge allowing dog to enter a non-public place causing reasonable apprehension of injury to a person Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 3(3) 1   1
			 Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 Sec 4(8) 6 27 16 34 25 19 17 
			 Total all offences  29 52 42 64 56 55 42 
			 (1 )These data are provided on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Crime Statistics

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of reported crimes in each London borough resulted in  (a) an arrest and  (b) a conviction in 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Data collected centrally do not track individual offences to conclusion. Recorded offences are counted on the basis of crimes committed and are available by London borough. Arrests are counted on the basis of offenders by police force area only and convictions are counted on the basis of offenders by court.
	Information on arrests and convictions is not available for 2005. The latest published data can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubs1.html

Crime Statistics

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) robberies and  (b) burglaries were reported in (i) Barnsley and (ii) Doncaster in each of the last five years; and how many resulted in conviction.

Tony McNulty: The available information is given in the tables as follows. Recorded crime deals with offences while convictions data is based on offenders. For this reason the two data sets are not directly comparable.
	
		
			  Table 1: Recorded offences of robbery and burglary in Barnsley and Doncaster2001-2002 
			   Barnsley  Doncaster 
			   Robbery  Burglary  Robbery  Burglary 
			 2001-02 135 5,363 300 8,952 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Recorded offences of burglary and robbery in Barnsley and Doncaster2002-03 to 2005-06 
			   Barnsley  Doncaster 
			   Robbery  Burglary  Robbery  Burglary 
			 2002-03 162 5,380 375 9,962 
			 2003-04 125 4,408 227 7,173 
			 2004-05 76 2,810 200 5,977 
			 2005-06 82 3,056 227 6,210 
			 (1) The data in this table takes account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for 2001-02 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Number of defendants convicted at all courts of Burglary and Robbery as a result of proceedings brought in Barnsley and Doncaster Local Criminal Justice areas, by committing court, 2000-04( 1,2) 
			  Offence / Committing court  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			  Burglary  
			 Barnsley District 149 128 126 136 157 
			 Doncaster 283 251 270 255 199 
			 Total 432 379 396 391 356 
			  Robbery  
			 Barnsley District 19 20 22 33 24 
			 Doncaster 44 67 55 40 55 
			 Total 63 87 77 73 79 
			 (1) These data are provided on the principal offence basis (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Crown Prosecution Service

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to require the Crown Prosecution Service to contact the families of murder and manslaughter victims prior to a trial.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	In October 2005, the Attorney-General issued the Prosecutors' Pledge. The Pledge commits prosecutors to 10 specific areas of service that will be provided to victims, including the families of murder and manslaughter victims and witnesses. These 10 pledges include: commitments to taking into account the impact on the family when making a charging decision; informing the family when a charge is withdrawn, discontinued or substantially altered and, where practical, seeking the views of the family when considering the acceptability of a defendant's pleas; encouraging communication between the family and the prosecutor at court; objecting to inappropriate cross-examination that may attack the character of a victim; on conviction challenging defence mitigation which is derogatory to the victim's character, and explaining to the families the effect of court judgments and the progress of any appeals.
	These services will be provided by prosecutors working with the police and assisted by joint police/Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Witness Care Units (WCUs). Day to day contact with the families will ordinarily be undertaken by the police family liaison officer. The role of the WCU in murder and manslaughter cases is to maintain communication between the prosecutor and the family liaison officer so as to ensure that the family is properly informed about the progress of the case and receives appropriate support throughout the criminal justice process.

Curfews

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at  (a) Chelmsford,  (b) Coldingly,  (c) Elmsley and  (d) Rochester prison convicted of offences under section 18 of the Offences against the Persons Act 1861 were given home detention curfews in each of the last five years; how many prisoners at each institution were registered for home detention curfews in each year, broken down by grounds for rejection; and how many appeals by prisoners at each institution against rejection of applications for home detention curfews were granted in each year.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table shows (i) the number of prisoners released on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) and (ii) the number of prisoners who were sentenced to three months to less than four years and who had an HDC eligibility date in the periods specified.
	The information on the number of prisoners who were sentenced to three months to less than four years and who had an HDC eligibility date in the periods specified, will include prisoners who are not eligible for release under the scheme, either because they are excluded by statute or are presumed unsuitable as a matter of policy. Other prisoners will opt-out of being assessed for release on HDC, or will turned down following risk assessment. As prisoners may move between prisons these figures should be used as broad estimates.
	The offences recorded on the central prison IT system do not relate to offences under specific pieces of legislation. The information in the table includes those prisoners recorded with offences of wounding (inflicting GBH) and assault with intent to cause GBH.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and so can be used for purposes of looking at the relative magnitude of components.
	All figures have been rounded to the nearest five.
	Information on the reasons for refusal of individual applications, and the outcome of appeals, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Prisoners with sentences of three months to less than four years with an HDC eligibility date in the periods specified, and number released on HDC: wounding (inflicting GBH) and assault with intent to cause GBH 
			   Prisoners with sentences of three months to less than four years with an HDC eligibility date in the period  Number released on HDC 
			  2001   
			 Chelmsford 15 10 
			 Coldingley 5 5 
			 Elmley 30 15 
			 Rochester 5 5 
			
			  2002   
			 Chelmsford 5 5 
			 Coldingley 5  
			 Elmley 40 20 
			 Rochester 15 10 
			
			  2003   
			 Chelmsford 5 5 
			 Coldingley 5  
			 Elmley 10 5 
			 Rochester 30 20 
			
			  2004   
			 Chelmsford 15 5 
			 Coldingley   
			 Elmley 10 5 
			 Rochester 35 20 
			
			  2005   
			 Chelmsford 5  
			 Coldingley 5  
			 Elmley 20 5 
			 Rochester 40 20 
			
			  2006 until end June   
			 Chelmsford 5  
			 Coldingley   
			 Elmley 5  
			 Rochester 15 10 
			  Notes: '' Indicates nil or less than three. - nil or less than 3 These statistics are based on information recorded on the central Prison Service IT system at week ending 16 July 2006, Further updates and amendments may be made to records on this system in future resulting in revised figures. These figures have been rounded to the nearest five.

Departmental Staff

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants at grade 5 or above have been disciplined over failures in the UK immigration system since 1 January; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 5 June 2006
	Since January, there has been no disciplinary action against any member of the senior civil service in relation to the work of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.
	In setting up the Immigration and Nationality Directorate as an Executive agency of the Home Office we will establish stronger accountability arrangements and set demanding targets for performance and delivery.

Dogs

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take the necessary steps to record and publish the number of dogs that  (a) go missing and  (b) are stolen in each year in England and Wales.

Tony McNulty: There are currently no plans to separately identify from the recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office the number of dogs stolen. Information on dogs reported missing is not collected by the Home Office.

Engagements

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister for Policing, Security and Community Safety last visited Watford in her official capacity.

John Reid: My right hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Hazel Blears) did not visit Watford in her official capacity as a Home Office Minister.

Engagements

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) public speeches and  (b) official visits he has made since 5 May 2005; and how many letters he sent in this period.

John Reid: I have undertaken 72 public speeches, 19 official visits and sent 1,017 letters since the 5 May 2005. Each speech and visit was conducted in accordance with the ministerial code.
	The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members/peers correspondence. The report for 2004 was published on 6 April 2005,  Official Report, column 137. Reports for earlier years are available in the Library of the House. The report for 2005 will be published in due course

Extradition

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department of which individuals the United States is seeking extradition from the UK on grounds of terrorist affiliation.

Tony McNulty: Seven people wanted by the US on charges connected to terrorism are the subject of extradition proceedings. It is not our policy or practice to list the names of those concerned.

Fraud

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the cost of  (a) fraud and  (b) fraud excluding large-scale fraud in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what his estimate is of the cost of fraud outside  (a) the responsibility of the City of London police and  (b) London in 2005-06.

Vernon Coaker: There is no recent reliable estimate of the cost of fraud, although a Home Office commissioned report in 2000 estimated the total economic cost of fraud then to be around 14 billion. The figure six years later is likely to be considerably higher. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has commissioned a study on the nature, extent and economic impact of fraud which will report later this year. The Home Office has actively helped with the tendering process and the terms of reference for the project.

Fraud

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with  (a) national banks and  (b) the police regarding the prevention of identity fraud.

Joan Ryan: Work on identity fraud reduction is led by the Identity Fraud Steering Committee (IFSC) and supported by the Identity Fraud Forum (IFF). The IFSC and IFF include members from the police and the British Bankers' Association, as well as representatives from other sectors. The IFSC and the IFF meet regularly to take forward the Government's work on reducing identity fraud and to co-ordinate this activity across all sectors. A number of sub-groups meet on a regular basis to identify, scope and prioritise opportunities to reduce identity fraud.
	In particular, we have established a network of Single Points of Contact in all police forces, as well as in a range of Government Departments and agencies, for dealing with identity fraud investigations and prosecutions. Also, a number of banks have produced co-branded versions of the Home Office identity theft leaflet for their customers. The leaflet explains how to keep personal information safe, how to get help if one is the victim of identity fraud and what is being done to combat the problem.

Fraud

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many identity thefts were reported in each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many resulted in a conviction.

Joan Ryan: The Government take the problem of identity fraud very seriously. There is no single offence of either identity theft or identity fraud. On 7 June 2006 we brought into force sections 25 and 26 of the Identity Cards Act 2006 which created new criminal offences of being in possession or control of false identity documents. These offences relate to a wide range of identity documents, including passports, driving licences, ID cards and immigration documents. The maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonment for an offence of possession with intent to use the document for establishing registrable facts about another person, such as name, address, date of birth and other personal details, and two years imprisonment for possession without reasonable excuse. Investigation of offences under these provisions is already underway and statistics on the number of prosecutions and convictions will be published in due course.
	There is also a range of other criminal offences to combat identity fraud. These include, for example, the offences in the Theft Acts of 1968 and 1978 of obtaining property by deception (property includes money), obtaining services by deception and obtaining a money transfer by deception. The number of these offences that were committed using a false or stolen identity is not recorded centrally and it is not possible to provide figures for London boroughs or any other area. However, identity theft and identity fraud questions were incorporated into the British Crime Survey in 2005 and the results should give us more information on the number of victims and the types of fraud that are being committed.

Gun Crime

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) West of 17 July 2006,  Official Report, column 66W, on gun crime, why the requested data is not in a form suitable for publication.

Tony McNulty: From 1986 to 1996-97 firearm offences data collected centrally did not include reference to whether weapons were held legally or illegally. Attempts were made between 1997-98 and 2003-04 to collect these data, but there were concerns over their quality. There is a difficulty for the police being able to identify whether a firearm used in an offence was legally or illegally held, particularly if that firearm was not retrieved. As a result the data for this period were not published. Because of these concerns, and following consultation with police force representatives, the data ceased to be collected centrally from one April 2004.

Human Trafficking

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is a specific department within the Serious Organised Crime Agency that deals with combating human trafficking.

Tony McNulty: One of top priorities for the Serious Organised Crime Agency is the combating of organised immigration crime, which includes human trafficking. The responsibility for this work is shared by a number of different departments within the Agency.

Illegal Drugs

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by law enforcement agencies in the fight against illegal drugs in the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: The Government made available 380 million of direct annual expenditure for drug supply reduction activity in each of the years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06. These figures represent expenditure by agencies with the Concerted Inter-Agency Drug Action Group (CIDA) including National Crime Squad, National Criminal Intelligence Service and HM Revenue and Customs. It does not include any expenditure of the Police Grant in policing local drug markets.

Illegal Imports (Animal Products)

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought in each of the last six years for illegally importing products of animal origin into the UK; and how many resulted in a custodial sentence.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have had responsibility for anti smuggling controls on products of animal origin since 11 April 2003.
	The number of prosecutions taken forward by HMRC for products of animal origin (POAO) illegal imports offences, is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  April to March  Number of prosecutions 
			 2003-04 0 
			 2004-05 7 
			 2005-06 2 
		
	
	All prosecutions were successful.
	Of these nine prosecutions, one conviction (in June 2005) resulted in the imposition of a 28-day custodial sentence. The most recent prosecution led to a fine and the individual found guilty was deported.
	Details of prosecutions taken by local authorities, specifically for offences relating to illegal imports meat into the UK, are not held centrally.

Immigration Cases

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last 12 months  (a) he has and  (b) Ministers in his Department have declined a request to meet hon. Members to discuss immigration cases.

John Reid: holding answer 3 May 2006
	The information is not available in the form requested.

Juvenile Deaths (Police Establishments)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public inquiries have taken place in the last 30 years into the deaths of children in police establishments.

Tony McNulty: To the best of our knowledge there have been no public inquiries regarding deaths of children in police establishments over the last 30 years.

Knives

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asaults with knives were recorded in England and Wales in each of the last five years, broken down by length of blade.

Tony McNulty: From the information collected on recorded crime, it is not possible to identify those offences which are knife related. Such offences are not specifically defined by statute and details of the individual circumstances of offences do not feature in the recorded crime statistics.

Knives

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans  (a) to extend the knife amnesty and  (b) to introduce a permanent knife amnesty.

Vernon Coaker: There are no plans to extend the knife amnesty or to bring in a permanent knife amnesty. It is open to police forces to run local amnesties where they consider this to be appropriate.

Ministerial Meetings

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has met  (a) Sir Christopher Evans and  (b) representatives of Merlin Biosciences Ltd. in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: The Home Secretary has not met with either Sir Christopher Evans or representatives of Merlin Biosciences Ltd. in the past 12 months.

Ministerial Visits

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which probation centres Ministers in his Department have visited in each year since 1997; and for what purposes.

John Reid: This information can be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Motoring Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the 10 most common motoring offences were for which women were  (a) prosecuted,  (b) convicted,  (c) fined and  (d) sent to prison in (i) Essex, (ii) Hertfordshire, (iii) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (iv) England and Wales in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by age group.

Vernon Coaker: Available information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the 10 most common motoring offences for which women were  (a) prosecuted,  (b) convicted,  (c) fined and  (d) sent to prison within Essex, Hertfordshire, the Metropolitan police force areas and England and Wales from 2002 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the following tables.
	Data for 2005 will be available early in 2007.
	
		
			  10 most common motoring offences for which women aged 21 and over were prosecuted, found guilty, fined and given a custodial sentence, England and Wales, 2004 
			   Rounded 
			  Offence description  Total proceedings 
			 Using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 36,400 
			 Motor vehicle licence - failing to pay appropriate duty 33,500 
			 Vehicle test offences 31,200 
			 Speed limit offences 30,500 
			 Driving, or causing or permitting another person to drive other than in accordance with licence 26,600 
			 Other miscellaneous motoring offences 20,500 
			 Other insurance offences (excluding fraud and forgery) 12,000 
			 Failing to produce driving licence 8,700 
			 Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit 8,500 
			 Other vehicle registration offences (excluding forgery and deception) 6,600 
		
	
	
		
			   Rounded 
			   Total findings of guilt 
			 Using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 30,800 
			 Motor vehicle licence - failing to pay appropriate duty 28,200 
			 Speed limit offences 25,600 
			 Driving, or causing or permitting another person to drive other than in accordance with licence 17,600 
			 Vehicle test offences 16,900 
			 Other miscellaneous motoring offences 12,500 
			 Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit 8,400 
			 Other vehicle registration offences (excluding forgery and deception) 4,700 
			 Driving without due care and attention 4,200 
			 Dangerous driving 3,700 
		
	
	
		
			   Rounded 
			   Total fined 
			 Motor vehicle licence - failing to pay appropriate duty 27,600 
			 Speed limit offences 25,400 
			 Using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 20,500 
			 Other miscellaneous motoring offences 11,400 
			 Driving, or causing or permitting another person to drive other than in accordance with licence 8,900 
			 Vehicle test offences 7,300 
			 Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit 6,200 
			 Other vehicle registration offences (excluding forgery and deception) 4,400 
			 Driving without due care and attention 3,400 
			 Other obstruction, waiting and parking offences 1,900 
		
	
	
		
			   Rounded 
			   Total immediate custody 
			 Driving while disqualified 700 
			 Dangerous driving 400 
			 Driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit 200 
			 Causing injury and damage by aggravated vehicle taking 70 
			 Causing death by dangerous driving 60 
			 Unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle etc 50 
			 Unfit to drive through drink and drugs (impairment) 30 
			 Driving and failing to provide specimen for analysis (breath, blood or urine) 20 
			 Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs 20 
			 Failing to stop after accident, etc. 10 
			  Notes:  1. A person appearing in court can be dealt with for more than one offence at that appearance. The tables show the number of offences dealt with and not the number of persons appearing in court.  2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Neighbourhood Watch

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes are in operation; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Neighbourhood Watch groups are not required to register with the Home Office and therefore we do not have information on exactly how many schemes exist. However, Neighbourhood Watch schemes requiring public liability insurance cover funded by the Home Office need to register with the insurance provider, and the most recent figure for the number of schemes registered is 137,238 (as of 1 July 2006). Information on the number of schemes existing that have not registered for PLI is not collected.

News of the World

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has held with representatives of the  News of the World in the last four weeks.

John Reid: The Minister has meetings with the media from time to time and this has included discussions with the  News of the World.

Offenders (Licensed Release)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders on licence given permission to travel abroad in the last 12 months have  (a) returned late,  (b) absconded and been re-arrested and  (c) absconded and not been recaptured, broken down by the type of offence for which they were convicted.

John Reid: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, revised arrangements are being put in place in relation to life sentenced prisoners which require the notification centrally of any trip abroad that is due to take place and any trip which has been undertaken. This requirement forms part of a recent update to the Lifer Manual which shortly will be communicated formally to probation areas via a probation circular.

Parliamentary Questions

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will answer questions  (a) 44633 on the Probation Service,  (b) 50812 on Cumbria Police Authority and  (c) 64424 on crime in Cumbria, tabled by the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale.

Tony McNulty: I replied to the hon. Member as follows:
	 (b) question 446335 June 2006,  Official Report, column 297W; and
	 (c) question 6442430 June 2006,  Official Report, column 874W.
	My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Sutcliffe) replied to  (a) question 50812 on 3 July 2006,  Official Report, column 883W.

Police

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations have closed in  (a) Devon,  (b) Cornwall,  (c) Somerset and  (d) Dorset in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 June 2006
	Information provided by the respective police forces is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of police stations opened and closed since 2002 
			   Devon and Cornwall  Avon and Somerset  Dorset 
			  Year (as at 31 March)  Open  Closed  Total  Open  Closed  Total  Open  Closed  Total 
			 2002 (1) (1) 61 2 0 43 3 2 23 
			 2003 0 0 61 1 1 43 0 1 22 
			 2004 0 0 61 0 0 43 2 1 23 
			 2005 3 3 61 1 1 43 2 1 24 
			 2006 0 0 61 0 1 42 0 1 23 
			 (1) Data not available.

Police

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his assessment is of the costs and benefits of  (a) no change,  (b) a federated structure,  (c) a single strategic force and  (d) other strategic co-working arrangements for police force restructuring in Wales.

Tony McNulty: The business case for the amalgamation of the four Welsh police forces, which was sent to Welsh police forces and police authorities with the then Home Secretary's notice of intention to merge on 3 March 2006, contained details of all the options that had been considered and HMIC's assessment of them.
	The notice of intention to merge was withdrawn on 13 July.

Police

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future use of  (a) Willesden Green and  (b) Harlesden police station.

Tony McNulty: Questions about the use of the Metropolitan police estate are for the Metropolitan Police Authority and for the Commissioner. However I am informed by the Metropolitan police that these stations are considered to be beyond their viable lives and may be considered for disposal. MPS have confirmed that no Metropolitan police station will close unless a suitable replacement in the general location has been provided. Full local consultation will take place. The long-term accommodation strategy for the Brent area includes enhanced custody centre facilities, a patrol base and safer neighbourhood bases.

Police

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults per head of population there were on  (a) police officers and  (b) police community support officers in each constabulary in 2005-06.

Tony McNulty: Assaults on police community support officers are not recorded separately by the Home Office. They are recorded under the more general category of common assault if no injury results. If injury is involved they are recorded under the appropriate section of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
	Statistics of assaults on a constable by police force area for 2005-06 are given in the table.
	
		
			  Recorded offences of assault on a constable per 100,000 population by police force area2005-06 
			  Police force area  Assault on a constable per 100,000 population 
			 Avon and Somerset 56 
			 Bedfordshire 50 
			 Cambridgeshire 58 
			 Cheshire 36 
			 Cleveland 52 
			 Cumbria 44 
			 Derbyshire 13 
			 Devon and Cornwall 20 
			 Dorset 42 
			 Durham 51 
			 Dyfed-Powys 42 
			 Essex 41 
			 Gloucestershire 52 
			 Greater Manchester 45 
			 Gwent 43 
			 Hampshire 51 
			 Hertfordshire 60 
			 Humberside 50 
			 Kent 44 
			 Lancashire 53 
			 Leicestershire 49 
			 Lincolnshire 29 
			 London, City of  
			 Merseyside 50 
			 Metropolitan Police(1) 41 
			 Norfolk 49 
			 Northamptonshire 42 
			 Northumbria 44 
			 North Wales 28 
			 North Yorkshire 55 
			 Nottinghamshire 31 
			 South Wales 40 
			 South Yorkshire 33 
			 Staffordshire 60 
			 Suffolk 48 
			 Surrey 45 
			 Sussex 52 
			 Thames Valley 41 
			 Warwickshire 49 
			 West Mercia 25 
			 West Midlands 13 
			 West Yorkshire 39 
			 Wiltshire 22 
			 Total 41 
			 (1 )Includes City of London

Police

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Point of Order on 12 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1393, on police force mergers, if he will clarify the implications for the proposed abolition of West Mercia Constabulary and the creation of a regional West Midlands force.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, made it clear in the House on 19 June and again on 12 July that he did not intend to proceed with enforced police force mergers. The notice of intention to merge which was issued to West Mercia by the then Home Secretary on 3 March has been withdrawn.

Police

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what undertakings he has given to chief constables and police authorities on central Government funding for police force amalgamations.

John Reid: The Government gave undertakings to meet 100 per cent. of reasonable set up revenue and capital costs of restructuring, net of reasonable savings.
	As I said on 19 June, I do not, however, intend to proceed with enforced amalgamations. We will work with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities, as well as HMIC, to improve protective services, preserve neighbourhood policing and increase efficiencies through use of shared services.

Police

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) police officers and  (b) street wardens there were in Hackney and Stoke Newington in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: Information on police officers is not collected at constituency level.
	Information has been collected centrally by Operational Command Unit since March 2003. The most recent figures are as at 31 March 2005, showing that Hackney had 789 full-time equivalent police officers. The deployment of police officers to OCUs and other specialist units in the Metropolitan Police is an operational matter for the Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government have collected information on street wardens sine 2001, and state that there are currently 30 wardens operating in Hackney.

Police

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) resignations and  (b) retirements of police officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary there have been in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent( 1)  Police Officer resignations and retirements in Cambridgeshire (1997-2005) 
			  As at 31 March:  Voluntary resignations( 2)  Retirements( 3) 
			 1997 9 50 
			 1998 8 48 
			 1999 16 46 
			 2000 11 38 
			 2001 22 43 
			 2002 23 44 
			 2003 22 34 
			 2004 23 40 
			 2005 34 45 
			 (1 )Prior to 2003, FTE figures excluded those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. These figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number. (2) Voluntary resignations does not include those who are dismissed and required to resign. (3) Retirements includes normal retirements and medical retirements.

Prison Service Accounts

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum amount deposited  (a) in each prison establishment and  (b) by foreign national inmates is in prison service accounts; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Prison/Court Escort Service

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on prison and court escort services in each of the last five years.

John Reid: Details of expenditure on inter-prison transfer and court escort services are set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Cost ( million) 
			 2001-02 105.1 
			 2002-03 111.1 
			 2003-04 116.1 
			 2004-05 126.5 
			 2005-06 140.7

Prisons

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list prisons he has visited since he took up his post; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: The Home Secretary visited Wandsworth prison on 28 June 2006. His predecessor visited Brixton prison on 22 November 2005.

Prisons

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have absconded from each open prison in England and Wales in each of the last five years; and how many abscondees from each prison were foreign nationals.

John Reid: There have been 4,307 absconds from open prisons in England and Wales since one April 2001. A break down by establishment is given in the following table by financial year. Information on the number of abscondees who were foreign nationals could be obtained only by examination of individual records at a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Prisoners who have absconded from open prisons in England and Wales 2001-02 to 2005-06 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 North Sea Camp 36 34 79 33 49 
			 Sudbury 81 68 75 77 76 
			 Hollesley Bay 8 14 36 32 16 
			 Askham Grange 19 12 31 12 14 
			 East Sutton Park 3  1 2 4 
			 Morton Hall  
			 Ford 57 91 142 110 96 
			 Stanford Hill 37 83 89 39 58 
			 Kirkham 163 208 213 120 74 
			 Thorn Cross 135 152 130 90 105 
			 Leyhill 19 33 114 102 66 
			 Spring Hill 12 23 60 36 34 
			 Prescoed 5 8 35 19 9 
			 Hewell Grange 8 14 36 32 24 
			 Moorland   68 73 49 
			 Wealstun 79 101 144 74 28 
			 Total 662 841 1,253 851 702

Racially Aggravated Crimes

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded  (a) perpetrators and  (b) victims of racially aggravated crimes there were in the most recent year for which figures are available, broken down by ethnic origin.

Tony McNulty: The available information relates to the number of offences recorded as racially aggravated and the number convicted or cautioned for these offences.
	The number of racially or religiously aggravated crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales in 2004-05 was 37,028. This collection does not identify the ethnicity of the victims or offenders.
	The Home Office Court Proceedings database contains information on the number of persons convicted and cautioned at courts for racially aggravated offences. In 2004, 897 persons were cautioned and 6,379 persons prosecuted for racially aggravated offences in England and Wales. Of those prosecuted, 3,512 persons were convicted at courts for such offences. Information on ethnicity of defendants is not available.

Relocation Support

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what government  (a) grants and  (b) other initiatives are available for inner city London boroughs to encourage relocation of residents (i) outside London and (ii) in Essex.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government do not make specific grants to London boroughs for relocation schemes. Support for relocation services is made via the Housing and Employment Mobility Services (private sector) contract which facilitates relocation out of London via a scheme known as LAWN.

Security Industry

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the most recent performance statistics are of the  (a) Security Industry Authority for the issuing of licences for door supervisors and  (b) Criminal Records Bureau on the vetting procedure for door supervisors.

John Reid: The information is as follows:
	 (a) As at 14 July 2006, 47,597 door supervisor licences have been issued by the Security Industry Authority.
	 (b) Specific performance statistics for the vetting of door supervisors are not available. Door supervisors are eligible for the Standard Disclosure check provided by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The most recent performance figures show that in June 98.6 per cent of applications for Standard Disclosure were processed by the CRB within its Public Service Standard.

Security Industry

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of persons engaged in the security industry  (a) requiring a licence and  (b) in receipt of a licence.

Vernon Coaker: The Security Industry Authority's most recent estimate is that about 183,000 individuals require a licence to work in the private security industry. As at 5 July, the SIA had accepted 162,452 complete applications, granted 119,653 licences, and refused 4,231. The remaining 38,568 applications were in the SIA's processing system. There are also 213 companies with Approved Contractor Status that are able to legally deploy a proportion of their staff while their licence applications are being processed, who are between them legally deploying about 15,000 staff.

Security Industry

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Security Industry Authority will process the application for a door supervisor's licence submitted by Mark Fleet-Chapman on 5 January.

Vernon Coaker: I will write to my hon. Friend on this matter.

Sexual Offences

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial support his Department provided for the National Organisation for Rape Crisis and Sex Abuse Victims in each of the last five financial years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office core-funded the Rape Crisis Federation from April 2001 until it closed in November 2003 due to internal issues: 406,000 in 2001-02; 432,000 in 2002-03; and 209,800 in 2003-04.
	The Rape Crisis Co-ordination Group has received grants totalling 79,000 from the Victims Fund since 2004: 18,200 in 2004-05; 30,800 in 2005-06; and 30,000 in 2006-07. The Victims Fund has also awarded grants to a number of local Rape Crisis organisations.

Special Advisers

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role is played by special advisers in answering parliamentary questions asked of his Department.

Tony McNulty: Special advisers conduct themselves in accordance with the requirements of the code of conduct for special advisers.

Terrorism Act

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2003 and subsequently charged with a non-terrorism related offence.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office does not collate the information on charges in the specific format requested. Statistics compiled from police records show that between 11 September 2001 and 31 March 2006, 997 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT). Of these, 175 people were charged with offences under legislation other than TACT.
	However, it must be pointed out that a charge under other legislation is not necessarily a non terrorist related charge because not all offences with which suspected terrorists may be charged are necessarily contained in the Terrorism Act. Many are charged with offences under the general criminal law, for example, murder. Other offences such as those involved in the use of firearms and explosives are contained in the legislation dealing with those matters.

Terrorism Act

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2003; and how many were held for the full 14 days.

Tony McNulty: Statistics compiled from police records show that between 11 September 2001 and 31 March 2006, 997 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 (TACT). The maximum period of detention pre-charge was extended to 14 days with effect from 20 January 2004. Our records show that from 20 January 2004 to 31 March 2006, which are the most recent statistics available, 14 people have been held for 13-14 days.

Violent Crime

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) gun and  (b) knife-related crimes there were in Brent in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not available centrally. Statistics on offences involving firearms are only collected at police force area level. With the exception of homicides, offences involving knives cannot be identified in the recorded crime statistics.

TREASURY

32 (The Royal) Squadron

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer
	(1)  why 32 (The Royal) Squadron made two return flights to Brussels on 21 January 2003 on his behalf; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  in respect of which official duties he used 32 (The Royal) Squadron for flights  (a) on 23 May 2003 and  (b) in the first week of April 2002; what the approximate take-off and landing times were of each flight; whether the carbon emissions were offset in respect of each flight; what other transport options were considered on each occasion; why other transport options were not used; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The rules on the use of special flights are set out in Travel by Ministers. The annual lists of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers costing over 500 set out when special flights are used, and the purpose of each trip. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
	Carbon dioxide emissions arising from 32 Squadron flights are included in the Government's carbon offsetting commitment. Carbon emissions arising from the use of these flights will be recorded and offset in the same way as the use of scheduled flights by all Departments from April 2006
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer travelled by The Royal Squadron on 21 January 2003 to attend a meeting of ECOFIN in Brussels. The squadron returned to England to re crew during the visit.

Agency Staff

Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average hourly rate was paid by his Department to each employment agency for staff employed through agencies in 2005-06.

John Healey: Information relating to payments made to individual employment agencies is commercially confidential. The average hourly rate, averaged across all employment agencies used by the Treasury in 2005-06, was 25.67.

Alcohol Excise Duty

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy to veto proposals from the Finnish EU presidency to raise EU minimum excise duty rates on alcohol.

John Healey: holding answer 10 July 2006
	To date the European Commission has not published a proposal on EU alcohol duty rates under the Finnish EU presidency. It is not the Government's policy to comment on specific proposals before they have been published.

Art (Downing Street)

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the 10 most valuable pieces of publicly owned art in 11 Downing street are.

John Healey: The 10 most valuable pieces of art held in the official areas for which HM Treasury is responsible for, at 11 Downing street are:
	
		
			
			 Bookcase, a George IV mahogany breakfront bookcase 40,000.00 
			 Table, demi-lune console George III carved giltwood (circa 1780) 25,000.00 
			 Clock, mahogany longcase, a fine George III 25,000.00 
			 Tables, side carved giltwood a George I style 12,000.00 
			 Tables, carved giltwood George I style side table x 2 (1)17,500.00 
			 Cabinets, Japanese lacquered 18th century cabinet x 2 (1)17,500.00 
			 Table, a Victorian mahogany dining table 7,000.00 
			 Mirror, carved giltwood George I period 4,000.00 
			 (1) Total value.

Average Incomes (Brent, East)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average income in  (a) Brent and  (b) Brent East in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) sex, (ii) age and (iii) ethnicity.

Dawn Primarolo: Available information on HM Revenue Customs' website for taxpayers at a national level broken down by gender and age, can be found in table 3.2 Distribution of median and mean income by age range and gender.
	Information on mean incomes at borough, district and unitary authority level and constituency level can be found in tables 3.14 Income by borough and district or unitary authority  and 3.15 Income by parliamentary constituency. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income distribution/menu-by-year.htm - 31
	HM Revenue and Customs does not hold data regarding the ethnicity of taxpayers and therefore breakdowns by ethnicity are not available.

Background Reading

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what publications have been provided by his civil servants as background reading for his ministerial duties since taking office; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Treasury Ministers read a wide range of publications in connection with their official duties.

Barker Review

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost has been of the Barker Review, separately identifying the cost of  (a) consultants and  (b) civil servants working on the review; and what Ms Barker's fees are for the work.

John Healey: The Barker Review of Land Use Planning is funded through existing Department for Communities and Local Government and HM Treasury budgets. It is due for completion later this year so the final costings of the review are not currently available. To date the review has spent approximately 8,700 on outside experts. The Bank of England is compensated for Ms Barker's time.

BBC

John Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the BBC received as a VAT rebate under section 33 of the VAT Act in each of the last five financial years.

Dawn Primarolo: Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 does not permit HM Revenue and Customs to disclose information relating to the tax affairs of individual taxpayers.

Betting

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the tax taken from betting on sport in the UK in each of the last five years.

John Healey: Tax receipts from betting are not broken down according to the nature of a bet. Revenues from gambling taxes are published in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting, Gaming and Lottery Duties Bulletin, available at http://www.uktradeinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?task=bullbett.

Biodiversity

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department plans to take to monitor the extent to which public bodies which report to him comply, from October, with their duty to conserve biodiversity in exercising their functions, under section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.

John Healey: Under Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, all public bodies have a duty to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity in the exercising of their functions. There is no statutory obligation on Departments to monitor the extent to which public bodies comply with this duty. However, we understand DEFRA is working with a wide range of partners to develop guidance for public bodies to support the implementation of this duty and will involve all relevant Departments on the development of guidance.

Carbon Emissions

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to induce local and central government to cooperate to encourage dissemination of best practice and innovation on reducing emissions by the public sector.

John Healey: Budget 2006 announced a seminar to be held at HM Treasury later this year to bring together central and local government to encourage the further dissemination of best practice and innovation to reduce emissions in the public sector. The purpose of this was to encourage and motivate more local authorities to reduce their carbon emissions. Since the announcement, Treasury officials have worked closely with other Departments to plan the event, which will be held during the autumn.

Child Benefits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the fraud and error rate in  (a) percentage terms and  (b) cash terms for (i) child benefit and (ii) the child trust fund; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: It is estimated that in 2005-06 the rate of fraud on child benefit is around 0.1 per cent. or around 10 million in cash terms and the estimated rate of error is around 0.03 per cent. or 3 million in cash terms.
	For the child trust fund, the issue of the initial voucher is dependent on a successful child benefit application. The low rate of error and fraud in child benefit suggests a low rate of error and fraud in the child trust fund.

Computing Equipment

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) USB (i) flash drives and (ii) memory sticks,  (b) compact discs,  (c) DVD-ROM discs,  (d) laptop computers,  (e) external computer hard drives,  (f) internal computer hard drives and  (g) desktop computers were purchased for use in his Department in each month since March 2005.

John Healey: The information is as follows.
	
		
			   Laptop computers  External computer hard drives  Desktop computers 
			  2005
			 April 8   
			 May 2  30 
			 June 5   
			 July 3   
			 August 15  30 
			 September 3   
			 October 3  100 
			 November 13   
			 December 9   
			 
			  2006
			 January 14   
			 February 3 1 100 
			 March 27  140 
			 April 8   
			 May 1   
			 June 2   
			  Notes: 1. No internal computer hard drives have been purchased since March 2005. 2. The numbers given for USB. Compact discs and DVD discs are not held in the form requested.

Condoms

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to encourage retailers to pass the VAT reduction on condoms on to consumers; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The VAT reduction for contraceptive products, which took effect from 1 July, is designed to allow wider access to these products where appropriate, consistent with the Government's sexual health policies. The Government therefore expects all retailers to promote access by passing the VAT reduction on within the retail prices charged to consumers. As a result of the VAT reduction, retailers might typically reduce the retail price of a packet of three condoms by around 30 pence.
	Prior to implementation of the VAT reduction, the Department of Health commissioned a survey of major retailers, which found that the vast majority of those surveyed planned to cut retail prices by the full 12.5 per cent. reduction in VAT either on 1 July or shortly thereafter, and some had already reduced prices in anticipation of the VAT change. The Department of Health will continue to monitor the impact of the VAT reduction on retail prices.

Criminal Offences

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997.

John Healey: Since 1997, HM Treasury as lead Department has created the following offences in Orders in Council which are still in force:
	 The Sudan (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1454)
	Articles 4(2), 5(2), 7, 9(6), 9(7) and 11 and paragraphs 2(3) and 4(a) to (d) of the Schedule.
	 The Lebanon and Syria (United Nations Measures) Order 2005 (S.I.2005/3432)
	Articles 4(2), 5(2), 7, 9(6), 9(7) and 11(4) and paragraphs 2(3) and 4(a) to (d) of the Schedule.
	 The Democratic Republic of Congo (United Nations Measures) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/1511)
	Articles 3(1), 4(9) and (10), 5, 6(1 )(a) to (c) and (2) and 7(3) and paragraph 3(a) to (d) of the Schedule.
	 The Ivory Coast (United Nations Sanctions) Order 7005 (S.I. 2005/253)
	Articles 3(1), 4(9) and (10), 5, 6(1) and (2), 7(1)(a) and (b) and 9(6) and paragraph 3(a) to (d) of the Schedule.
	 The Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) (Amendment) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1498)
	Articles 5(6) and (8) and 6(3)
	 The Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/1519)
	Articles 5(1) (a) to (c), 7(3), 8(2) and (3), 11, 12(1) and (2), 13(2) and (3), 17(3)(a) to (c), 20(6), paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 and paragraph 5(a) to (d) of Schedule 3.
	 The Iraq (United Nations Sanctions) Order 2000 (S I. 2000/3241)
	Articles 3(1), 3A(1), 4A(10), 5(4), 5A(7), 6, 7, 8(1)(a) to (c), 9(7)(a) to (c), 10(2) and 11(4).
	In this period, HM Treasury as lead Department has created other offences in Orders in Council that are no longer in force. It is not possible to list these without incurring disproportionate cost.

Customs Officers (Holyhead)

David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many customs officers are stationed permanently at the port of Holyhead.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on staff by location cannot be disclosed, as this would provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent HM Revenue and Customs' controls, thereby prejudicing the prevention and detection of crime.

Departmental Contracts

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contracts were awarded by his Department to Bird and Bird Solicitors in each year since 1997; what the  (a) value and  (b) duration of each such contract was; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Bird and Bird is one of the law firms participating in the L-Cat framework agreements established by the Office of Government Commerce, the Department for Education and Skills and the Treasury Solicitor's Department to facilitate the procurement of quality legal services for government and achieve better value for money.
	In the period since 2002-03, the Treasury has had one contract with Bird and Bird, which was in April 2002 with a total value of 1,151.03. Information on contracts, prior to 2002-03 could be provided only at disproportionate cost due to a change in accounting system during that year.

Departmental Expenditure

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the expenditure of his Department on newspapers, magazines and periodicals was in each year since 1999.

John Healey: The Treasury's expenditure on newspapers and periodicals since 2002-03 is as follows. Information for years prior to 2002-03 could be provided at disproportionate cost only due to a change of accounting system in that year.
	
		
			   000 
			 2002-03 155 
			 2003-04 143 
			 2004-05 120 
			 2005-06 130

Departmental Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conferences have been funded in whole or part by his Department in the last 12 months; how many attendees there were at each; and what the cost of the conference was to the Department.

John Healey: The details of conferences with 100 or more attendees funded by the Treasury in the past 12 months are as follows.
	
		
			   Title of conference  Number of attendees  Cost (000) 
			 December 2005 Advancing Enterprise 390 77 
			 May 2006 Launch of the Third Sector Review 135 8 
			 December 2005 Promoting Economic Growth in the West Bank and Gaza through the Private Sector 170 86 
			 May 2006 Special Investigations Group of government financial investigators 100 1 
			 June-July 2006 Third Sector Review Regional consultation events (6 events so far) 615 59

Departmental Report

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what calculations underlie paragraph 3.11 of the Treasury's Departmental Report 2006.

John Healey: The Treasury's methodology of calculating trend productivity growth is set out in Table B2 of Budget 2006 (HC 968).

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed by  (a) HM Treasury,  (b) the Royal Mint,  (c) National Savings and Investments,  (d) the Government Actuaries Department,  (e) the Debt Management Office,  (f) the Office for National Statistics,  (g) OGC Buying Solutions,  (h) HM Revenue and Customs and  (i) the Valuations Agency in each of the last 12 months for which data is available; and how many and what percentage of posts were vacant in each region in each month.

John Healey: Civil service statistics are available in the Library and at the following address on the Cabinet Office Statistics Website http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/index.asp
	Vacancy information is not held centrally for HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs and to collate this information would be at disproportionate costs.
	
		
			  Vacancy figures for The Royal Mint 
			   Vacancies  Percentage vacancies (versus establishment) 
			  2005   
			 February 2 0.26 
			 March 10 1.29 
			 April I 0.13 
			 May 5 0.65 
			 June 6 0.78 
			 July II 1.42 
			 August 6 0.78 
			 September 12 1.56 
			 October 7 0.91 
			 November 0 0.00 
			 December 1 0.13 
			  2006   
			 January 1 0.13 
			  Note: The Royal Mint is based in Wales. 
		
	
	
		
			  Vacancy figures for the Debt Management Office 
			  Quarterly figures  Vacancies  Percentage vacancies (versus establishment) 
			 1 April 2005 12 16 
			 30 June 2005 12 16.5 
			 30 September 2005 12 16 
			 31 December 2005 12 17 
			  Notes:  1. The average vacancy rate for each quarter compared to the DMO's Agreed Establishment was approximately 12 FTEs.  2. The Debt Management Offices are based in London. 
		
	
	
		
			  Vacancy figures for Office of National Statistics 
			   Average number of posts vacant  Percentage of posts vacant 
			 London 6.8 1 
			 Newport, South Wales 5.7 1 
			 Titchfield, Hampshire 11.8 1 
			 Southport 0.3 1 
			 Social survey interviewers 65 6 
		
	
	
		
			  Vacancy figures for OGC Buying Solutions 
			Percentage vacancies (versus establishment) 
			   Total vacancies  North West  Eastern  London 
			  2006 
			 January 11 5.96 8.89 0 
			  
			  2005 
			 December 15 6.62 5.56 0 
			 November 17 7.94 5.56 0 
			 October 18 8.61 5.56 0 
			 September 23 9.27 10 0 
			 August 27 9.93 13.3 0 
			 July 31 11.92 14.4 0 
			 June 26 9.27 13.3 0 
			 May 27 9.93 13.3 0 
			 April 18 5.96 10 0 
			 March 18 5.96 10 0 
			 February 20 7.28 10 0 
			 January 17 5.96 8.89 0 
			  Note: These are based on an average number of posts in each region over this time period. The total number of vacancies for any given month includes both new vacancies and those that are on-going.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints of racial abuse have been  (a) investigated and  (b) upheld in his Department in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The Treasury has well published policies on unacceptable behaviour including racial abuse, which make it clear that such behaviour is a disciplinary offence.
	The procedures for investigating complaints of racial abuse have been initiated less than five times in each of the last five years. Numbers are therefore not available on the grounds of confidentiality.

Departmental Websites

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many websites there are within his responsibilities; and what the total cost of maintaining such websites was in the last year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The annual costs for the period 2005-06 for each website for which the Treasury and its agencies are responsible are as follows:
	
		
			  Department/agency  Website address  Direct costs () 
			 HM Treasury www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 100,355 
			
			 HM Treasury Invest to Save Budget website www.isb.gov.uk 10,575 
			
			 HM Treasury campaign sites www.euro.gov.uk 18,997 
			  www.ges.gov.uk  
			  www.wga.gov.uk  
			  www.csren.gov.uk  
			  www.opg.gov.uk  
			  www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk  
			  www.financial-reporting.gov.uk  
			  www.stakeholdersaving.gov.uk  
			
			 Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs www.hmrc.gov.uk (1)934,078 
			  www.taxevasionhotline.co.uk (1)4,800 
			  www.ctfhelp.com (1)3,288 
			  www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk (2) 
			
			 Debt Management Office www.dmo.gov.uk (1)35,718 
			  www.crnd.gov.uk  
			  www.pwlb.gov.uk  
			
			 OGC www.ogc.gov.uk (1)92,850 
			
			 OGC buying solutions www.ogcbuyingsolutions.gov.uk (1)136,300 
			  www.sustainablesolutions.gov.uk  
			  www.s-cat.gov.uk  
			
			 Government Actuaries Department www.gad.gov.uk (1)2,115 
			
			 Valuation Office Agency www.voa.gov.uk (3)351,001 
			  www.mybusinessrates.gov.uk 4,100 
			
			 National Savings and Investments www.nsandi.com (1)1,392,882 
			
			 Royal Mint www.royalmint.com (1)78,789 
			  www.royalmint.gov.uk  
			  www.royalmintwholesale.com  
			
			 Office for National Statistics www.statistics.gov.uk (1)1,800,000 
			  www.statistics.gov.uk/PBC  
			  www.statistics.gov.uk/about  
			  www.stats4schools.gov.uk  
			  www.gro.gov.uk  
			  www.cip.gov.uk  
			  www.eustatistics.gov.uk  
			  www.ness.gov.uk  
			
			 ( 1 )Indicates that staff costs are included. ( 2 )Costs included in main site. ( 3 )Plus VAT.  Notes: 1. These figures include all direct costs, for example web hosting, software support, infrastructure. We have not been able to include indirect costs, such as office accommodation, without incurring excessive research costs. 2. Staff costs (including figures for salary, pension, superannuation and overtime) have not been included in every instance due to excessive cost for research. 3. HM Treasury is committed to the Transformational Government Strategy which sets out plans to rationalise governmental web presence and limit the number web addresses for each Department. We are currently reviewing all Treasury websites, and Treasury agency sites to minimise the number currently registered. 4. Costs of hosting the HMRC site are significantly higher than most Government websites because of the high visitor rate. Since merger, the site has had 294.1 million page visits and 30.4 million unique visitors.

Disabled People

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Government procurement policy in promoting good practice regarding equal opportunities for disabled people;
	(2)  what account Government procurement takes of suppliers' employment conditions in relation to disabled workers; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: All public procurement decisions should be based on value for money and be conducted in line with the EU procurement rules. Within this framework, there is scope to take account of other factors, such as those related to disability equality, where they are relevant to the subject of the contract. The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) offers advice and guidance to Departments on the scope to take account of such factors in the procurement process. However, Departments are responsible for their own procurement decisions, in line with the legal and policy framework outlined above, the obligations of the new duty to promote disability equality, which are set out in a Code of Practice, and their own objectives.
	Public procurement law includes a provision enabling contracting authorities to reserve contracts for supported businesses and factories employing more than 50 per cent. disabled people.

Drug Deaths

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many deaths of people aged  (a) under and  (b) over 18 years in 2005 in (i) London and (ii) each London borough the use of (A) heroin/morphine, (B) ecstasy, (C) amphetamines, (D) other substances and (E) alcohol was recorded as the cause.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for how many deaths of people (a) under and (b) over 18 years in 2005 in (i) London and (ii) each London borough the use of (A) heroin/morphine, (B) ecstasy, (C) amphetamines, (D) other substances and (E) alcohol was recorded as the cause. I am replying in her absence. (88961)
	Information from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on drug-related poisonings is extracted from a special database of these deaths. This database does not yet include deaths for 2005. Figures for 1997-2003 were provided in response to your similar question in October 2005.
	Alcohol-related deaths for 2005 are available and figures for London and London boroughs are included in the table below. There were no alcohol-related deaths of people aged under 18.
	Alcohol-related deaths were selected using the ONS definition of these deaths which is based on those causes most closely related to alcohol consumption. This definition has recently been revised and details of the changes are available via the National Statistics website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1091
	
		
			  Alcohol-related deaths( 1 ) by London borough( 2) , age 18 and over, 2005( 3) 
			  London borough  Number 
			 City of London 1 
			 Barking and Dagenham 15 
			 Barnet 21 
			 Bexley 21 
			 Brent 34 
			 Bromley 40 
			 Camden 25 
			 Croydon 35 
			 Ealing 35 
			 Enfield 18 
			 Greenwich 24 
			 Hackney 20 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 28 
			 Haringey 33 
			 Harrow 14 
			 Havering 14 
			 Hillingdon 23 
			 Hounslow 22 
			 Islington 15 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 13 
			 Kingston upon Thames 16 
			 Lambeth 33 
			 Lewisham 27 
			 Merton 10 
			 Newham 22 
			 Redbridge 24 
			 Richmond upon Thames 20 
			 Southwark 28 
			 Sutton 21 
			 Tower Hamlets 20 
			 Waltham Forest 19 
			 Wandsworth 19 
			 Westminster 34 
			   
			 London 744 
			 (1) Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause of death. The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The codes used to select alcohol-related deaths are listed as follows: Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcoholICD-10 F10 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcoholICD-10 G31.2 Alcoholic polyneuropathyICD-10 G62.1 Alcoholic cardiomyopathyICD-10 I42.6 Alcoholic gastritisICD-10 K29.2 Alcoholic liver diseaseICD-10 K70 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classifiedICD-10 K73 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liverICD-10 K74 (excluding K74.3-K74.5Biliary cirrhosis) Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitisICD-10 K86.0 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcoholICD-10 X45 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcoholICD-10 X65 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intentICD-10 Y15 (2) Usual residents of these areas. (3) Deaths registered in 2005.

Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the calculation underlying paragraphs 1.35 and 1.36 of HC 968, the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report, March 2006.

Dawn Primarolo: The figures in paragraphs 1.35 and 1.36 of HC 968, the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report, March 2006 were produced using micro-simulation models of the tax and benefit system and the 2003-04 Family Resources Survey (FRS).
	It is not possible to provide the calculations that underpin the figures, as they are the result of complex models that cannot be reduced to a small number of calculations.

Economic Growth (Scotland)

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the reasons for the different rates of growth in Scotland and the rest of the UK since 1997.

Stephen Timms: Scotland has experienced sustained economic growth since 1997. The Government aim to promote economic prosperity in all countries and regions of the UK. In Scotland, the Government work in partnership with the Scottish Executive to promote this objective.

Electoral Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the percentage electoral registration rate was for the 100  (a) richest and  (b) poorest wards in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England and (iv) Northern Ireland in the most recent year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the percentage electoral rate for the 100  (a) richest and  (b) poorest wards in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland, (iii) England and (iv) Northern Ireland, in the most recent year for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (87731)
	The following tables containing percentage electoral registration rates are enclosed, and will also be placed in the House of Commons LibraryTable 1 for the 100 richest wards in Wales, Table 2 for the 100 poorest wards in Wales, Table 3 for the 100 richest wards in England and Table 4 for the 100 poorest wards in England. Data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not currently available.
	Ward level income data have been used as a proxy for the richest and poorest wards. The income data used are the model-based Census Area Statistics (CAS) ward estimates for average household income for 200-02. The methodology used to produce the model-based estimates is relatively new and as a result may be subject to consultation, modification and further development. In view of this ongoing work the model-based estimates are classified as experimental statistics.
	In common with any ranking based on estimates, care must be exercised in interpreting the ranking of the wards. The variability of the income estimates when using these figures needs to be taken into account. For example, due to some uncertainty over the accuracy of the estimates, it needs to be recognised that the income estimate for the highest ranked ward will lie among the group of wards with the highest income levels, but cannot with absolute certainty be considered to be the ward with the highest average ward income. Therefore the top and bottom 100 richest wards for England and Wales based on income levels cannot be considered to be a definitive list.
	It should be borne in mind that the percentage of the resident population who are registered to vote does not provide a reliable estimate of the registration rate of the eligible population. This is mainly because there are definitional differences between usually resident and eligibility to vote and therefore the estimated resident population aged 18 and over is not the same as the number of people eligible to vote. For example, the resident population includes all those who usually live in an area irrespective of nationality whereas the parliamentary electorate excludes foreign nationals (but Commonwealth and Irish citizens are included) and may include some overseas electors who do not currently live in the area. Further, there is inevitably some double counting of the registered electorate and this can occur for a number of reasons. People who have more than one address, including students, may register in more than one place. Electoral registration officers may vary in how quickly they remove people from the registers after they have moved away from an area or after they have died.
	The latest available population data available at ward level are for mid-2002. The ward electorate counts used for calculating the electoral registration rates are for December 2002 parliamentary electors, including attainers. The parliamentary electorate has been used rather than the local government electorate even though the latter is definitionally closer to the resident population because the local government electorate is not available at ward level. No adjustment has been made to reflect the difference between these two time points.
	The population data are estimates and as such are subject to a margin of confidence. The CAS ward level population estimates have been published with the status of experimental statistics. Therefore, the estimates, and electoral registration rates derived from them, should be treated with some care.
	There are a number of wards where the electorate counts are greater than the 18+ population estimate, resulting in electoral registration rates above 100 per cent. These cases are attributable to definitional differences between the estimates and electoral counts, the accuracy of the ward estimates, the accuracy of the electoral registers and limitations in the methodology used to convert electoral counts to the CAS ward geography.

Electrical Items (Standby)

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of electrical items left on standby each night in his Department's buildings in London.

John Healey: No such estimate can be reliably made.

Energy Efficiency

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of how the wear and tear allowance might be reformed to incentivise landlords to invest in energy efficiency.

John Healey: The Government announced in pre-Budget report 2005 its intention to reform the existing Wear and Tear Allowance for landlords by making it conditional on the energy efficiency of the rental property. Any changes to the Allowance will be announced by the Chancellor within the Budget process.

Energy Services Market

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what report he has received on the Treasury-hosted seminar to explore how Government and business community can encourage the development of energy services markets; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

John Healey: As the Energy Review states, the Government wishes to incentivise energy suppliers to engage more actively with customers in order to deliver greater energy efficiency in the home. We want to provide the right stimulus for them to develop new market opportunities to sell energy services, so what the consumer buys are services for heating, lighting and powering their homes, in the most energy efficient way practicable. I hosted a seminar at HM Treasury with representatives of energy supply companies and other organisations, including non-governmental organisations and Government departments Outcomes of this meeting fed into the Energy Review consultation. A note of this meeting will be placed in the House Library as soon as possible.

Ethnic Minority Advisory Group

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the members are of the Treasury's Ethnic Minority Advisory Group; and when it has met in each of the last three years.

John Healey: The Ethnic Minority Advisory Group (EMAG) is an internal group within the Treasury that works independently, but co-operatively, with Treasury senior management to ensure that all issues which affect the Treasury's black and minority ethnic staff are taken into account in personnel and management policies, and to play a full part in the Department's diversity agenda. The EMAG includes staff from across the Department, on a voluntary basis, and meets regularly as a group and with senior managers and other interested parties within the Treasury.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter he sent to EU Finance Ministers earlier this year on the economic case for extending and strengthening the EU Emissions Trading Scheme beyond 2012 as the foundation of a global carbon market.

John Healey: The Chancellor wrote to EU Finance Ministers to highlight the economic case for extending and strengthening the EU Emissions Trading Scheme beyond 2012 as the core of a global carbon market. Developing the scheme is important in ensuring it maintains competitiveness for European firms and supports investment in low carbon technology in developing countries through the Clean Development Mechanism and in providing certainty for industry. The Chancellor enters into correspondence with EU colleagues on a number of issues, and these documents are not generally released.

Exports/Imports

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage  (a) exports and  (b) imports changed between 1998 and 2004; and what assessment he has made of the connected trends in world trade over the same period.

John Healey: IMF figures suggest that world trade growth averaged 6 per cent. per year between 1998 and 2004. Over the same period, total UK exports of goods and services grew by 26 per cent. (an annual average of 4.3 per cent.), while imports of goods and services increased by 41 per cent. (annual average growth of 6.8 per cent.). The divergence between UK export growth and world trade growth over this period is likely partly to reflect relatively weak growth in domestic demand in the UK's main export marketthe euro areaas well as some loss of the UK's share of world export markets in the face of increasing competition from emerging economies. However, UK export growth was at its strongest for five years in 2005, outpacing import growth.

Exports/Imports

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage  (a) exports and  (b) imports with European Union countries changed between 1998 and 2004; and what assessment he has made of such trends in trade over the same period.

John Healey: The Office for National Statistics publish trade volume figures for goods, rather than for goods and services, for the ED and non-EU. UK goods export volumes to EU-25 countries rose by 13.5 per cent. between 1998 and 2004, while imports from the ED increased by 39.6 per cent. These trends, which have taken place against a background of relatively strong world trade growth, are likely partly to reflect the relative weakness of domestic demand in the euro area over recent years, relatively robust domestic demand in the UK over much of the period in question, and some loss of UK export market share in the EU in the face of increasing competition from emerging economies. More recently, growth in UK goods exports to the EU has picked up, rising by over 6 per cent. in 2005the strongest growth rate for five years.

Household Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in the UK have three or more children, broken down by ethnic background.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your request for the number of families in the UK that have three or more children, broken down by ethnic background. I am replying in her absence. (87964)
	The latest available figures are from the 2001 Census, as this is the only source that can be used to look at families in this detail. The data are taken from commissioned census table M502 which is available on request from Census Customer Services (census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk). Figures for the UK are given in the attached table, based on the ethnic groups that are available for all the constituent countries of the UK.
	
		
			  Families( 1)  with three of more dependent children( 2) : by ethnic group of family reference person( 3,4) , United Kingdom, 2001 
			   Percentage of families with dependent children that have three or more dependent children  Number of families with three or more dependent children  All families with dependent children All Ethnic Groups 
			  17.7 1,278,447 7,221,558 
			 White 16.9 1,100,900 6,524,220 
			 Mixed 18.9 11,509 61,053 
			 Asian 30.1 112,130 372,041 
			 Black 20.9 41,724 199,794 
			 Chinese or other ethnic group 18.9 12,184 64,450 
			 (1) A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. (2 )A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). (3 )Family Reference Person (FRP) is used to identify a family and its characteristics. The FRP in a couple is based on economic activity, then age (oldest), then the first member of the couple on the Census form. (4 )The ethnic group of a family is given by the ethnic group of the FRP. It does not follow that everyone in the family will be of the same ethnic group as the FRP. Cells in this table have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data.  Source:  Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics; Census, April 2001, General Register Office for Scotland; Census, April 2001, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Financial Skills

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action the Government is taking to ensure that financial skills are increased among the adult population.

Stephen Timms: The FSA leads the national strategy on financial capability in partnership with the Government, the financial services industry and voluntary organisations.
	In March 2006, the FSA published Delivering Change, setting out its initiatives to promote financial capability. (www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/other/fincap_delivering.pdf). Most of these initiatives are aimed at the adult population.
	The Government have given strong support to the strategy and the 2005 pre-Budget report announced that we would strengthen adult capability, especially for groups with particular needs, by including financial education in adult basic skills; and encouraging local authorities to provide more financial education to parents through Sure Start Children's Centres and local family numeracy programmes.
	The Government will publish a 10 year strategy in the autumn, setting out long term plans for improving financial capability in the adult population.

Fire (Fatalities)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fatalities were attributed to fires in each year since 2003.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many fatalities were attributed to fires in each year since 2003. I am replying in her absence. (88967)
	The most recently available information for deaths is for 2004. Figures for deaths due to exposure to smoke, fire or flames are shown in the table below for 2003 and 2004.
	
		
			  Number of deaths due to exposure to smoke, fire or flames( 1) , England and Wales( 2) , 2003 to 2004( 3) 
			   Number of deaths 
			 2003 449 
			 2004 326 
			 (1) The cause of death was defined using the Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were selected using the following ICD-10 codes: X00-X09, X76, X97, Y26. These include deaths given a verdict of accident, assault, suicide or undetermined intent. (2) Including non-residents. (3 )Deaths occurring in each calendar year.

First-time Buyers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate the Government have made of the proportion of first-time buyers with a loan-to-value mortgage ratio of 80 per cent. or over.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	Estimates using the Regulated Mortgage Survey for the first quarter of 2006 show that 78 per cent. of first time buyers buying with a mortgage have a mortgage loan to price ratio of 80 per cent. or more.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what processes there are in his Department to check Gershon efficiency savings figures before publishing them; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Efficiency Technical Notes, developed in consultation with the National Audit Office, and published on departmental websites, set out how efficiencies are to be achieved.
	Quarterly returns are provided to the Office of Government Commerce (OGC), signed off at senior level within the Department. These detail the value of efficiencies made to date on each programme against an agreed methodology and baseline. Evidence is also sought that there are no reductions in service quality as a result of the efficiency.
	Headcount reductions and relocations to date are also reported quarterly. OGC scrutinises the data submitted against the delivery plan, the agreed methodologies, the expected forecasts and previous data submitted to ensure its robustness.

Gershon Review

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has given to departments to ensure that all reported Gershon efficiency savings are genuine; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Office of Government Commerce has provided guidance, developed in consultation with the National Audit Office, to departments on measuring and reporting their efficiency savings including guidance on the robustness of their data systems assurance and covering the measurement of productive time and procurement savings.
	DCLG has issued guidance to local authorities regarding how they should prepare their Annual Efficiency Statements in order to report gains delivered locally.
	The measurement and data robustness guidance is in use across the efficiency programme.

Graduate Unemployment

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many graduates from each of the last five academic years for which records are available are registered as unemployed.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployed graduates. I am replying in her absence. (88691)
	The attached table gives estimates of the numbers of unemployed among the people who graduated with a degree in the years 2001 to 2005. These estimates are from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the three month period ending March 2006.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Unemployed graduates( 1 ) of working age( 2 ) according to year of graduation, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Year of graduation  Unemployed graduatethree months ending March 2006 (Thousand) 
			 2001 5 
			 2002 3 
			 2003 5 
			 2004 8 
			 2005 15 
			 (1) People whose highest qualification is degree level or above (2) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59  Source: ONSLabour Force Survey

Greyhound Racing Levy

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much VAT was paid on the greyhound racing levy in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The voluntary contributions paid to the British Greyhound Racing Fund by bookmakers are not liable to VAT.

HM Revenue and Customs

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conference bookings were made by HM Revenue and Customs and its predecessors through Sabre-Holdings or its subsidiaries including Travelocity-Business formerly known as First Option Events in each of the last three years; what the  (a) location,  (b) duration,  (c) number of delegates and  (d) cost was of each conference; and what fees were applicable to each booking where the event was (i) cancelled and (ii) scaled down.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested cannot be easily extracted from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs own records.

HM Revenue and Customs

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which HM Revenue and Customs offices have been closed since January 2005; how many are planned to close before January 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Since January 2005 HMRC has closed, or is in the process of closing, the following offices:
	
		
			  Building name  Town 
			 Swinson House (Unit 5) York 
			 Chesterfield House London 
			 Meridian House London 
			 Trinity Park House Edinburgh 
			 Containerbase Coatbridge 
			 Princess House Barnstaple 
			 Loud House Ashford 
			 Whitehall Shrewsbury 
			 Imperial Buildings Falmouth 
			 Cater House Chelmsford 
			 Melbourne House London 
			 1st Floor, Units 3  4 Wallsend 
			 Paxton House Swindon 
			 Duchy House London 
			 Aviation House London 
			 City Gate House London 
			 Conquest House London 
			 5(th) Floor, 10 Great George Street London 
			 Custom House Shoreham 
			 Harbour Masters Office Rye 
			 Custom House Berwick 
			 Tyne Bridge Tower Gateshead 
			 Custom House Scilly 
			 Heath House Southend 
			 Greyfriars House Aberdeen 
			 Lancaster House London 
			 Surrey House London 
			 Pinnacle House Bootle 
			 Fuller House, 1(st) Floor Telford 
			 Park House Croydon 
			 Bentinck House Gloucester 
			 Cale Cross House Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 
			 Crown House Windsor 
			 New Court London 
			 Crown Building Aberystwyth 
			 Haymarket House Edinburgh 
			 Caledonian House Watford 
			 Government Buildings Droitwich 
			 Crown Building Ruislip 
			 Solar House New Malden 
			 33 St. James Street Newport 
			 Jubilee House Woking 
			 5 Shepperton House Shepperton 
			 Crown House Hitchin 
			 Loddon House Basingstoke 
			 New Freight Village Belfast 
			 31 High Street, Ealing London 
			 Concord House Paignton 
			 Elmbridge Court Gloucester 
			 Jephson House Leamington Spa 
		
	
	HMRC has also announced plans to close the following offices before January 2007:
	
		
			  Building name  Town 
			 Angel Court London 
			 Coniston House Washington 
			 Bridge House Grimsby 
			 Maybrook House Dover 
			 Sussex House Crawley 
		
	
	These closures are part of HMRC's on-going programme of rationalising and consolidating its estate following the merger of the Inland Revenue and HM Customs  Excise.
	HMRC has continued to maintain a face-to-face customer service in all the locations where this service was already in existence.

Household Incomes

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average annual household income was in  (a) England and Wales,  (b) Cumbria,  (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale,  (d) urban areas and  (e) rural areas in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average annual household income was in (a) England and Wales (b) Cumbria (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale (d) urban areas (e) rural areas in each year since 1997. I am replying in her absence. (88641)
	The main national source of statistics on household income is the Family Resources Survey (FRS) which the Department of Work and Pensions use to produce the annual publication Households Below Average Income (HBAI). The tables attached here have been provided by DWP. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have also produced some estimates of household income for wards for 2001/02 only, and these have been used to calculate an estimate of household income for the Westmoreland and Lonsdale constituency.
	Household income statistics are shown both including housing costs (before housing costs), and excluding housing costs (after housing costs). Using these two bases, Table 1 shows both the mean and median annual household income in England and Wales from 1996/97 to 2004/05. The median is the middle income i.e. the income above which half of the population live and below which the other half live. All household incomes shown here are equivalised. This means that they are standardised to take into account the different size and composition of households.
	Table 2 shows the mean and median annual household income in the North West and Merseyside Government Office Region (GOR). GORs are the smallest areas for which robust estimates can be produced from the Family Resources Survey. These regional estimates are produced by averaging over three survey years. Cumbria and Westmorland and Lonsdale are situated in the North West and Merseyside GOR.
	Table 3 shows incomes for households situated in the urban and rural areas of England.
	ONS has published estimates of household income for wards for 2001/02 only. These estimates are based on a statistical model and are experimental statisticsthis means they have been developed in accordance with the principles set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice but have yet to be fully accredited as National Statistics. These ward based estimates have been used to estimate mean annual equivalised household income for the Westmoreland and Lonsdale constituency for 2001/02. Mean income before housing costs was 18,680, while after housing costs it was 17,130. It should be remembered that these estimates are produced using different methods so there is some uncertainty about how comparable they are with the estimates based solely on the FRS, used in Tables 1-3.
	
		
			  Table 1: Mean and Median Household Income, England and Wales, 1996/97 to 2004/05 
			  Annually equivalised pounds, current prices 
			   Before Housing Costs  After Housing Costs 
			   Mean  Median  Mean  Median 
			 1996/97 16,200 13,200 13,900 11,200 
			 1997/98 16,900 13,600 14,600 11,600 
			 1998/99 17,700 14,000 15,200 11,900 
			 1999/2000 18,500 14,800 15,900 12,700 
			 2000/01 19,200 15,200 16,700 13,100 
			 2001/02 20,400 16,000 17,900 14,000 
			 2002/03 21,000 16,900 18,600 14,800 
			 2003/04 21,500 17,300 19,000 15,100 
			 2004/05 22,600 18,100 19,800 15,700 
			  Note: All results shown for England and Wales are single-year values as sample sizes for England and Wales are large enough to support a robust single-year time-series.  Source: FRS 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Mean and Median Household Income, North West and Merseyside, 1996/97-1998/99 to 2002/03-2004/05 
			  Annually equivalised pounds, current prices 
			   Before Housing Costs  After Housing Costs 
			   Mean  Median  Mean  Median 
			 1996/97-1998/99 15,100 12,600 13,100 10,800 
			 1997/98-1999/2000 15,900 13,100 13,900 11,300 
			 1998/99-2000/01 16,500 13,700 14,400 11,900 
			 1999/2000-2001/02 17,200 14,500 15,100 12,700 
			 2000/01-2002/03 17,800 15,000 15,700 13,300 
			 2001/02-2002/03 18,800 15,700 16,800 14,000 
			 2002/03-2004/05 19,700 16,300 17,700 14,500 
			  Note: Figures in this table are provided using three-year moving averages, as single year estimates derived from sample sizes for a GOR the size of North West and Merseyside do not provide a robust guide to changes over time. Hence, information may not be consistent with previously published single-year estimates for North West and Merseyside.   Source:  FRS 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Mean and Median Household Income in the Urban and Rural areas in England, 1996/97 to 2004/05 
			  Annually equivalised pounds, current prices 
			   Before Housing Costs  After Housing Costs 
			   Mean  Median  Mean  Median 
			   Urban  Rural  Urban  Rural  Urban  Rural  Urban  Rural 
			 1996/97 16,000 17,300 13,000 14,000 13,600 15,000 11,000 12,100 
			 1997/98 16,700 18,000 13,300 14,500 14,300 15,600 11,300 12,500 
			 1998/99 17,700 18,200 13,800 14,700 15,100 15,900 11,600 12,500 
			 1999/2000 18,500 19,100 14,600 15,700 15,800 16,500 12,400 13,500 
			 2000/01 19,200 20,000 15,000 16,100 16,600 17,500 12,900 14,000 
			 2001/02 20,600 20,700 15,900 20,700 17,900 20,700 13,800 14,800 
			 2002/03 21,100 21,400 16,500 17,900 18,600 19,000 14,600 15,900 
			 2003/04 21,700 21,900 17,200 17,900 19,000 19,500 14,900 15,800 
			 2004/05 22,600 20,600 17,700 20,600 19,700 20,600 15,200 16,900 
			  Note: All values presented for rural and urban areas in England are single-year estimates as sample sizes for these areas are large enough to support a robust single-year time-series.  Source: FRS

Household Statistics

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of families with three or more children lived in each county of  (a) Wales,  (b) Scotland,  (c) England and  (d) Northern Ireland in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986, (iii) 1996 and (iv) 2006, ranked in descending order by county.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the number and percentage of families with three or more children that lived in each county of (a) Wales (b) Scotland (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland ranked in descending order by country in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986, (iii) 1996 and (iv) 2006. I am replying in her absence. (87735)
	Estimates of the figures requested on families are not available at county level from sources other than the Census. For this reason figures cannot be provided for the years indicated. Data from the 1971, 1981 and 1991 Censuses could only be collated at disproportionate cost.
	I am placing in the House of Commons library, figures from the 2001 census giving the number and percentage of families with three or more children by county / unitary authority for England and local authority for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These data have been extracted from commissioned census table M501 which is available on request from Census Customer Services (census.customerservices@ons.gov.uk).
	
		
			  Families with three or more dependent children: by local authority, Wales, 2001 
			   Families with three or more dependent children  
			   Percentage  Number  All families with dependent children 
			 Wales 17.3 62,913 364,627 
			 
			 Gwynedd/Gwynedd 20.1 2,714 13,529 
			 Ceredigion/Sir Ceredigion 19.9 1,524 7,671 
			 Powys/Powys 19.8 2,934 14,790 
			 Cardiff/Caerdydd 19.6 7,374 37,620 
			 Pembrokeshire/Sir Benfro 19.0 2,704 14,265 
			 Newport/Casnewydd 18.5 3,435 18,579 
			 Conwy/Conwy 18.2 2,269 12,473 
			 Denbighshire/Sir Ddinbych 18.2 2,035 11,210 
			 Isle of Anglesey/Sir Ynys Mon 17.9 1,449 8,083 
			 The Vale of Glamorgan/Bro Morgannwg 17.8 2,816 15,848 
			 Monmouthshire/Sir Fynwy 17.6 1,849 10,509 
			 Torfaen/Tor-faen 17.1 2,068 12,075 
			 Flintshire/Sir y Flint 17.0 3,213 18,890 
			 Carmarthenshire/Sir Gaerfyrddin 16.9 3,574 21,136 
			 Wrexham/Wrecsam 16.8 2,675 15,950 
			 Swansea/Abertawe 15.9 4,299 27,055 
			 Caerphilly/Caerffili 15.8 3,650 23,101 
			 Rhondda; Cynon; Taff/Rhondda; Cynon; Taf 15.6 4,765 30,563 
			 Merthyr Tydfil/Merthyr Tudful 15.3 1,188 7,771 
			 Blaenau Gwent/Blaenau Gwent 15.1 1,419 9,418 
			 Bridgend/Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr 14.8 2,501 16,885 
			 Neath Port Talbot/Castell-nedd Port Talbot 14.3 2,458 17,206 
			  Notes: 1. A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. 2. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. 3. A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). 4. Figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 5. Crown Copyright2004. 6. Data are taken from Census Commissioned Table M501.  Source: Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics. 
		
	
	
		
			  Families with three or more dependent children: by local authority, Scotland, 2001 
			   Families with three or more dependent children  
			   Percentage  Number  All families with dependent children 
			 Scotland 14.8 90,936 1,422,314 
			 
			 Shetland Islands 23.5 630 6,119 
			 Eilean Siar 20.9 627 7,147 
			 Orkney Islands 19.6 446 5,539 
			 Highland 17.5 4,407 60,085 
			 Argyll and Bute 17.3 1,809 25,602 
			 East Renfrewshire 16.9 2,034 25,743 
			 Aberdeenshire 16.6 4,861 67,017 
			 Moray 16.5 1,727 25,078 
			 Scottish Borders 16.4 2,023 31,482 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 16.1 2,764 43,767 
			 East Lothian 15.9 1,794 26,549 
			 Perth and Kinross 15.7 2,439 39,138 
			 Stirling 15.7 1,603 24,156 
			 East Dunbartonshire 15.5 2,175 31,354 
			 Midlothian 15.4 1,612 24,088 
			 Clackmannanshire 14.8 926 13,938 
			 Angus 14.7 1,910 31,981 
			 Edinburgh, City of 14.7 6,751 114,416 
			 Fife 14.5 6,305 101,386 
			 North Ayrshire 14.2 2,485 39,594 
			 Glasgow City 14.2 9,863 146,745 
			 Inverclyde 14.1 1,517 23,554 
			 West Lothian 14.0 3,055 46,768 
			 North Lanarkshire 13.9 5,915 92,261 
			 South Ayrshire 13.6 1,799 32,885 
			 East Ayrshire 13.5 2,078 35,315 
			 South Lanarkshire 13.5 5,246 87,503 
			 West Dunbartonshire 13.4 1,641 26,262 
			 Dundee City 13.4 2,257 38,714 
			 Aberdeen City 13.4 2,993 56,381 
			 Renfrewshire 13.0 2,863 49,408 
			 Falkirk 13.0 2,381 42,339 
			  Notes: 1. A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. 2. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. 3. A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). 4. There is a discrepancy of one, because of an inconsistency in the Scottish data. 5. Figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 6. Crown Copyright2004. 7. Data are taken from Census Commissioned Table M501.  Source: Census, April 2001, General Register Office for Scotland. 
		
	
	
		
			  Families with three or more dependent children: by unitary authority and county , England, 2001 
			   Families with three or more dependent children  
			   Percentage  Number  All families with dependent children 
			 England 17.8 1,067,950 6,011,517 
			 
			 Blackburn with Darwen UA 24.2 4,673 19,325 
			 Luton UA 23.9 5,800 24,289 
			 Slough UA 22.6 3,463 15,333 
			 Inner London 21.8 68,215 312,736 
			 Leicester UA 21.6 7,903 36,509 
			 West Midlands (Met County) 20.6 67,613 328,919 
			 Nottingham UA 19.9 6,197 31,185 
			 Southampton UA 19.6 4,638 23,704 
			 Peterborough UA 19.5 3,948 20,198 
			 Reading UA 19.4 3,123 16,059 
			 Derby UA 19.4 5,346 27,524 
			 Medway UA 18.9 6,335 33,546 
			 Buckinghamshire County 18.9 11,236 59,542 
			 Middlesbrough UA 18.9 3,458 18,342 
			 East Sussex County 18.7 10,376 55,599 
			 West Yorkshire (Met County) 18.5 48,927 263,806 
			 Southend-on-Sea UA 18.5 3,629 19,578 
			 Bristol; City of UA 18.5 7,976 43,221 
			 Kent County 18.3 29,733 162,249 
			 Bath and North East Somerset UA 18.3 3,388 18,562 
			 Kingston upon Hull; City of UA 18.2 5,708 31,285 
			 Outer London 18.1 100,775 555,966 
			 Greater Manchester (Met County) 18.1 57,908 320,507 
			 Bedfordshire County 18.0 8,771 48,626 
			 Suffolk 18.0 14,289 79,286 
			 Hertfordshire 17.8 23,042 129,745 
			 Lancashire County 17.8 25,244 142,175 
			 North East Lincolnshire UA 17.7 3,758 21,208 
			 Oxfordshire 17.7 12,447 70,246 
			 Devon County 17.7 13,707 77,430 
			 Herefordshire; County of UA 17.7 3,648 20,617 
			 Essex County 17.7 28,073 158,802 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead UA 17.7 2,735 15,476 
			 Thurrock UA 17.7 3,336 18,892 
			 Merseyside (Met County) 17.6 30,892 175,319 
			 Cambridgeshire County 17.6 11,413 64,798 
			 Somerset 17.6 10,122 57,487 
			 Isle of Wight UA 17.6 2,627 14,925 
			 Gloucestershire 17.6 11,777 66,984 
			 Torbay UA 17.5 2,525 14,411 
			 Surrey 17.5 21,787 124,731 
			 West Sussex 17.5 15,127 86,645 
			 Dorset County 17.5 7,296 41,796 
			 Wokingham UA 17.4 3,316 19,016 
			 Portsmouth UA 17.3 3,834 22,170 
			 Milton Keynes UA 17.2 4,994 28,953 
			 Northamptonshire 17.2 13,913 80,756 
			 Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly 17.1 9,890 57,827 
			 Wiltshire County 17.1 8,994 52,737 
			 Telford and Wrekin UA 17.0 3,675 21,571 
			 Lincolnshire 17.0 12,898 75,744 
			 Hampshire County 17.0 25,790 151,537 
			 South Gloucestershire UA 16.9 5,202 30,722 
			 West Berkshire UA 16.9 3,025 17,905 
			 Shropshire County 16.8 5,525 32,824 
			 Cheshire County 16.7 13,793 82,448 
			 Swindon UA 16.7 3,838 22,981 
			 Bournemouth UA 16.7 2,801 16,802 
			 Redcar and Cleveland UA 16.6 2,945 17,737 
			 North Yorkshire County 16.6 11,108 67,010 
			 North Somerset UA 16.5 3,668 22,234 
			 Warwickshire 16.5 10,051 61,042 
			 Norfolk 16.4 14,598 88,849 
			 Hartlepool UA 16.3 1,965 12,021 
			 Bracknell Forest UA 16.3 2,356 14,477 
			 Plymouth UA 16.2 4,723 29,066 
			 South Yorkshire (Met County) 16.2 25,435 157,200 
			 Worcestershire County 16.2 10,597 65,525 
			 Halton UA 16.1 2,619 16,278 
			 Rutland UA 16.0 629 3,934 
			 Leicestershire County 15.9 11,783 74,210 
			 Blackpool UA 15.9 2,639 16,641 
			 Brighton and Hove UA 15.9 4,071 25,672 
			 Poole UA 15.8 2,512 15,918 
			 Stockton-on-Tees UA 15.7 3,744 23,917 
			 Stoke-on-Trent UA 15.6 4,744 30,403 
			 Cumbria 15.5 8,884 57,307 
			 North Lincolnshire UA 15.5 3,023 19,504 
			 York UA 15.4 3,087 19,993 
			 Darlington UA 15.4 1,913 12,456 
			 Derbyshire County 15.3 13,812 90,251 
			 Nottinghamshire County 15.3 14,128 92,477 
			 Staffordshire County 15.3 15,362 100,653 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire UA 15.2 5,693 37,351 
			 Warrington UA 15.0 3,756 25,120 
			 Northumberland 14.8 5,524 37,367 
			 Tyne and Wear (Met County) 14.8 19,770 133,866 
			 Durham County 13.6 8,339 61,462 
			  Notes: 1. A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. 2. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. 3. A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). 4. Figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 5. Crown Copyright2004. 6. Data are taken from Census Commissioned Table M501.  Source: Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics. 
		
	
	
		
			  Families with three or more dependent children: by local authority , Northern Ireland, 2001 
			   Families with three or more dependent children  
			   Percentage  Number  All families with dependent children 
			 Northern Ireland 24.8 56,666 228,980 
			 
			 Dungannon 32.0 2,093 6,537 
			 Magherafelt 31.9 1,750 5,489 
			 Cookstown 31.7 1,446 4,560 
			 Newry and Mourne 30.9 3,836 12,431 
			 Omagh 30.5 2,079 6,815 
			 Armagh 29.4 2,199 7,476 
			 Fermanagh 29.1 2,258 7,758 
			 Moyle 28.3 603 2,134 
			 Strabane 28.2 1,546 5,476 
			 Down 27.7 2,460 8,890 
			 Derry 26.7 4,256 15,912 
			 Ballymoney 25.1 919 3,663 
			 Limavady 24.9 1,164 4,679 
			 Craigavon 24.4 2,790 11,445 
			 Belfast 24.1 8,390 34,756 
			 Lisburn 23.6 3,651 15,445 
			 Banbridge 23.6 1,332 5,651 
			 Antrim 23.2 1,552 6,685 
			 Coleraine 21.4 1,602 7,479 
			 Ballymena 21.3 1,653 7,748 
			 Larne 20.3 824 4,060 
			 Castlereagh 19.9 1,712 8,585 
			 Newtownabbey 19.3 2,061 10,669 
			 Ards 18.7 1,808 9,653 
			 North Down 18.1 1,755 9,681 
			 Carrickfergus 17.5 927 5,303 
			  Notes: 1. A family consists of a couple (married or cohabiting) with or without children, or a lone parent and their children. 2. Cohabiting couples includes same sex couples. 3. A dependent child is a person in a household aged 0 to 15 (whether or not in a family) or a person aged 16 to 18 who is a full-time student in a family with parent(s). 4. Figures have been randomly adjusted to avoid the release of confidential data. 5. Crown Copyright2004. 6. Data are taken from Census Commissioned Table M501.  Source: Census, April 2001, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Identity Fraud (Training)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what internal training courses on tackling identity fraud are provided to departmental staff who have access to members of the public's personal information.

John Healey: I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 19 April 2006.

Income Tax

Annette Brooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of uncollected income tax in each of the last four financial years.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 3 July 2006
	The amount of uncollected income tax for financial year 2005-06 appears in Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs Annual Report: Trust Statement: Notes, section 6. The report was published on 11 July 2006. Figures for years 2003-04 to 2004-05 appear in the previous Inland Revenue Trust Statements. The method for calculating unpaid liabilities changed in 2003-04 so there are no comparable figures for earlier years. The uncollected amounts shown in the statements are a snapshot at the end of the year. HMRC currently collects around 99.5 per cent. of all income tax brought into charge.

Income Tax

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much income tax was raised in the last year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: For the amount of income tax raised in 2005-06 I refer the hon. Member to page 87 of the HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts (HC1159).

Income Tax

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of administering the income tax system in the latest year for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost of collecting income tax in 2004-05 is published in Table 1 of Annex F in the HMRC Annual Report 2004-05. Administering the income tax system forms part of the wider cost of administering the PAYE and self-assessment systems, which also collect national insurance contributions and other statutory payments and administer student loans.

Income Tax

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of income the  (a) richest and  (b) poorest 20 per cent. of the population paid in all taxes in the last year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of income the  (a) richest and  (b) poorest 20 per cent. of the population paid in all taxes in the last year for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (88312)
	This response is based on the Office for National Statistics' analysis 'The effects of taxes and benefits on household income, 2004/05('). This was published on the National Statistics website on 12th May 2006 at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/taxesbenefits. It also appeared in the May 2006 edition of Economic Trends. The analysis is based on data from the Expenditure and Food Survey, which is a sample survey covering approximately 7,000 households in the UK.
	For the year 2004/05, the top 20% of households, ranked by equivalised disposable income paid 35.6% of their gross income in taxes. The bottom 20% of households paid 36.4%. Household gross incomes include all income from wages, employee benefits, self-employment income, pensions, investment income, state benefits and tax credits. Taxes include income tax, employees' national insurance contributions, council tax, VAT, duties, and other indirect taxes.
	More detailed information can be found in table 3 of this article, and further explanation is provided in the article itself.

Income Tax

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what percentage of total income tax the 10 per cent. of people who paid the most income tax contributed in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many people paid income tax in 2005-06.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the share of income tax liabilities by percentile groups for 1999-2000 to 2006-07, and the number of income tax payers in 2005-06 can be found on HM Revenue and Customs' website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/menu.htm in table 2.4 Shares of total income tax liability and table 2.1 Number of individual income taxpayers respectively.

Inheritance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of estates inherited by under-18 year olds included the transfer of net debt in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Dawn Primarolo: No estimates are available.

Inheritance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the estates of people over 65 years entered probate with negative asset value in the last year for which records are available.

Dawn Primarolo: In 2003-04 the proportion of estates of people over 65 entering probate with a negative asset value was less than 0.5 per cent.

Inheritance Tax

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006,  Official Report, column 829W, on inheritance tax, what  (a) preliminary regulatory impact assessments and  (b) preparatory work related to regulatory impact assessments have been (i) placed in the Library and (ii) published.

Dawn Primarolo: In line with normal procedure and Cabinet Office guidance full (i.e. final) Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) to support legislation, and partial RIAs to support formal consultation documents, are published on the HMRC website: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ria/menu.htm. Copies of all full and partial RIAs published at pre-Budget report or on Budget day are placed in the Library. Copies of full RIAs published at other times of the year are also placed in the Library. No preliminary RIAs or preparatory work related to RIAs are placed in the Library or published.

International Advisory Council

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  who the members of the International Advisory Council are; and when it has met;
	(2)  on what dates his International Business Advisory Council has met; and how many members were present at each meeting.

John Healey: The first meeting of the International Business Advisory Council will take place in November 2006.
	The information on the current members of the International Business Advisory Council is available on the HM Treasury website at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./newsroom_and_speeches/press/2006/press_19_2006.cfm

Iraq

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which dates since February he has visited British soldiers injured in Iraq; and what locations were visited.

Gordon Brown: holding answer 29 June 2006
	I regularly meet members of the armed forces, veterans and their families on my visits around the UK and in my constituency.

IT Contracts

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value was of each IT contract awarded by his Department in each of the last five years; and who the contractor was in each case.

John Healey: HM Treasury's suppliers are chosen from those on the OGC Buying Solutions Catalist list. These are suppliers with whom OGC Buying Solutions have a framework agreement, and full details are available on their website at www.ogcbuyingsolutions.gov.uk.
	A full list of IT contracts and values for each of the last five years could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Resident Population

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of people in the UK lived in  (a) rural and  (b) urban areas in each year since 1997; and what estimates have been made for each year to 2020.

John Healey: The information requested falls with the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many and what percentage of people in the UK lived in (a) rural and (b) urban areas in each year since 1997; and what estimates have been made for each year to 2020. I am replying in her absence. (88643)
	Figures on urban and rural areas are only available for 2001, Census year. In England and Wales urban areas are defined by Department of Communities and Local Government's (DCLG) as settlements with a usually resident population of 10,000 or more people/Figures for England and Wales have been presented on this basis. Responsibility for urban/rural definitions is a devolved matter and, as such, definitions differ across the UK, however comparable figures are available across the UK for the number of people living in settlements with 10,000 or more usual residents. The table shows the number of people who (i) live in settlements with a usually resident population of 10,000 or more people and (ii) live either in settlements of under 10,000 people or do not live in a settlement i.e. the remainder.
	The England and Wales figures have been extracted from Table KS01 on the CD supplement to the  Census 2001 Rural and Urban Classification 2004, which is available on request from the Office for National Statistics Census Customer Services: census.customerservices@ons.gsi.gov.uk
	The Scotland figures have been extracted from Table KS01 from  Scotland's Census 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements and Localities Scotland, which is available on request from the General Register Office for Scotland's, Census Customer Services [customer@gro-scotland.gsi.gov.uk].
	The Northern Ireland figures have been extracted from Table KS01 on the  Census 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements Report, which is available on request from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency's Census Customer Services [census.nisra@dfpni.gov.uk]. Further information on settlement classifications in Northern Ireland can be found at: http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/statistics/financeandpersonnel/DMB/urban_rural.htm
	
		
			  Number and percentage of people who (i) live in settlements with a usually resident population of 10,000 or more and (ii) live either in settlements of under 10,000 people or do not live in a settlement i.e. the remainder, United Kingdom, April 2001 
			People living in settlements with 10,000 people or more  People living outside settlements of 10,000 people or more 
			  Area  All people  Number  Percentage  Percentage  Percentage 
			 United Kingdom 58,789,194 45,938,430 78.14 12,850,764 21.86 
			 England 49,138,831 39,631,606 80.65 9,507,225 19.35 
			 Wales 2,903,085 1,865,989 64.28 1,037,096 35.72 
			 Scotland 5,062,011 3,446,036 68.08 1,615,975 31.92 
			 Northern Ireland 1,685,267 994,799 59.03 690,468 40.97 
			  Notes: In England and Wales, settlements with 10,000 or more people are defined as urban and settlements with less than 10,000 people are defined as rural.  Source: Table KS01 in the Census 2001 Rural and Urban Classification 2004, Table KS01 from Scotland's Census 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements and Localities Scotland and Table KS01 on the Census 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements Report

Long-term Unemployment

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are long-term unemployed in each London borough.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in her absence. (88213)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of long-term unemployed (more than 12 months), resident in each London borough for the 12 months ending December 2005.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 2, attached shows the number of people, resident in each London borough, who have been claiming JSA for more than 12 months, in June 2006 and as a proportion of the resident population of working age (males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59).
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of long-term unemployed( 1)  persons, aged 16 and over, resident in London boroughs; 12 months ending December 2005 
			  London borough  Number (Thousand) 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2 
			 Barnet 4 
			 Bexley (2) 
			 Brent 3 
			 Bromley 1 
			 Camden 2 
			 City of London (2) 
			 Croydon 2 
			 Ealing 3 
			 Enfield 3 
			 Greenwich 3 
			 Hackney 4 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2 
			 Haringey 2 
			 Harrow 1 
			 Havering 1 
			 Hillingdon 3 
			 Hounslow (2) 
			 Islington 1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2 
			 Kingston upon Thames (3) 
			 Lambeth 5 
			 Lewisham 2 
			 Merton 2 
			 Newham 3 
			 Redbridge 1 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1 
			 Southwark 3 
			 Sutton (2) 
			 Tower Hamlets 4 
			 Waltham Forest 1 
			 Wandsworth 2 
			 Westminster 3 
			 (1) Over 12 months. (2) Sample size too small to provide estimates. (3) Less than 500.  Note:  Estimates are subject to sampling variability.  Source:  Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Long-term claimants( 1,2)  of jobseeker's allowance resident in London boroughs, June 2006 
			  London borough  Number ( 3) Percentage 
			 Barking and Dagenham 715 0.7 
			 Barnet 915 0.4 
			 Bexley 540 0.4 
			 Brent 1,665 0.9 
			 Bromley 760 0.4 
			 Camden 1,460 0.9 
			 City of London 15 0.3 
			 Croydon 1,015 0.5 
			 Ealing 875 0.4 
			 Enfield 1,135 0.6 
			 Greenwich 1,190 0.8 
			 Hackney 1,540 1.1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 670 0.5 
			 Haringey 2,165 1.4 
			 Harrow 395 0.3 
			 Havering 380 0.3 
			 Hillingdon 440 0.3 
			 Hounslow 310 0.2 
			 Islington 1,355 1.1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 565 0.4 
			 Kingston upon Thames 150 0.1 
			 Lambeth 1,750 0.9 
			 Lewisham 1,475 0.9 
			 Merton 560 0.4 
			 Newham 1,525 0.9 
			 Redbridge 750 0.5 
			 Richmond upon Thames 250 0.2 
			 Southwark 2,070 1.2 
			 Sutton 375 0.3 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,245 1.6 
			 Waltham Forest 1,565 1.1 
			 Wandsworth 1,055 0.5 
			 Westminster 785 0.5 
			 (1 )Computerised claims only. Dataset rounded to nearest 5. (2) Over 12 months. (3) Proportion of resident mid-2004 population estimates of working age (males aged 16 to 69 and females aged 16 to 59).  Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative data held on NOMIS.

Long-term Unemployment

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were in long-term unemployment in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster in each of the last eight years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. I am replying in her absence. (88379)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of long-term unemployed (more than 12 months), resident in Barnsley and Doncaster for the 12 month periods ending in February from 1999 to 2004 from the annual local area LFS and for the 12 month periods ending in March 2005 and December 2005 from the APS.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (ISA). Table 2, attached, shows the annual average number of people, resident in Barnsley and Doncaster claiming ISA for more than 12 months, from 1998 to 2005 and as a proportion of the resident population of working age (males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59).
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of long-term unemployed( 1)  persons( ) aged 16 and over, resident in Barnsley and Doncaster 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  Barnsley  Doncaster 
			 February 1999 4 3 
			 February 2000 3 3 
			 February 2001 2 3 
			 February 2002 1 2 
			 February 2003 1 1 
			 February 2004 1 1 
			 March 2005 1 2 
			 December 2005 1 2 
			 (1 )Over 12 months   Note:  Estimates re subject to sampling variability   Source:  Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Long-term claimants( 1, 2)  of jobseeker's allowance resident in Barnsley and Doncaster; 1998 to 2005 
			   Barnsley  Doncaster 
			  Annual averages  Number  Percentage( 3 ) of resident population of working age  Number  Percentage( 3 ) of resident population of working age 
			 1998 1,520 1.1 2,845 1.7 
			 1999 1,205 0.9 2,040 1.2 
			 2000 920 0.7 1,205 0.7 
			 2001 615 0.5 770 0.4 
			 2002 365 0.3 770 0.4 
			 2003 285 0.2 680 0.4 
			 2004 235 0.2 500 0.3 
			 (1 )Computerised claims only. Dataset rounded to nearest 5  (2 )Over 12 months  (3 )Proportion of resident mid-year population of working age (males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59). Note that 2005 uses mid-2004 estimates.   Source:  Jobcentre Plus administrative data held on NOMIS()

Malnutrition

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths malnutrition was given as a cause of death in each of the last three years, broken down by age.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking in how many deaths malnutrition was given as a cause in each of the last three years, broken down by age. I am replying in her absence. (88958)
	The most recently available information for deaths is for 2004. Figures showing numbers of deaths by age group where malnutrition or deprivation of food were mentioned on the death certificate are given in the table below for the years 2002 to 2004.
	
		
			  Deaths from malnutrition and effects of hunger,( 1)  England and Wales,( 2 ) 2002 to 2004( 3) 
			   2002  2003  2004 
			 All ages 296 286 276 
			 0-44 23 24 14 
			 45-64 51 63 54 
			 65-74 50 41 44 
			 75-84 91 86 93 
			 85+ 81 72 71 
			 (1) Causes were defined using the Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The ICD-10 codes used to select deaths from malnutrition and effects of hunger were: E40-E46Malnutrition T73.0Effects of hunger Records were selected where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate using the final cause of death. (2) Including non-residents. (3) Deaths which occurred in each calendar year.

Minimum Wage

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of people in the  (a) Houghton and Washington, East constituency and  (b) Sunderland city council area were being paid below the minimum wage upon its introduction.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask how many and what percentage of people in the (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and (b) Sunderland City Council area were being paid below the minimum wage limit upon its introduction. (87369)
	Estimates for the number of jobs paid below the minimum wage for Parliamentary Constituencies and Local Authorities are not available. However the Office for National Statistics (ONS) calculates estimates of the number of jobs paid less than national minimum wage rates for the United Kingdom and Government Office Regions. A guide to measuring low pay and associated articles and data can be found on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5837Pos=1ColRank=1Rank=272

Ministerial Flights

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ensure that all flights undertaken by Ministers and officials in his Department are carbon neutral; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Treasury, along with other Government departments, will contribute to a Government Carbon Offsetting fund (GCOF) administered by DEFRA which will make contributions to offset emissions from air travel.

Ministerial Meetings

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has any records of meetings between him and  (a) Sir Ronald Cohen and  (b) the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson) in the last three years.

John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Ministerial Private Office

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the size is of his private office in square feet.

John Healey: The dimensions of the office allocated to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1 Horse Guards Road are 18' 8 by 12' 4.

National Youth Volunteering Service

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2006,  Official Report, column 620W, on the National Youth Volunteering Service, what discussions the Economic Secretary to the Treasury had with the Chancellor's private office on that question; and whether there has been any communication between the Chancellor and Rod Aldridge  (a) in writing,  (b) by telephone and  (c) by e-mail.

Edward Balls: Treasury Ministers have regular discussions with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as well as with officials within the department as part of the process of policy analysis, development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Nuclear-related Exports

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which countries the UK has exported nuclear-related equipment since 1998.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on exports is collected using a European-wide product classification system, which does not identify all nuclear-related equipment; therefore, the requested information is not available.

Office of Government Commerce

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what  (a) guidance and  (b) targets have been issued by the Office of Government Commerce to Government Departments on the procurement of fairly traded products;
	(2)  what responsibilities the Office of Government Commerce has for encouraging the use of fairly traded products by Government Departments.

John Healey: OGC is responsible for the Government's procurement policy based on value for money, and for the negotiation, implementation and application of the ED and WTO procurement rules.
	OGC provides advice and guidance to Departments on the scope to take social and environmental issues, such as fair and ethical trade, into account within the legal and policy framework that governs public sector purchasing. Within this framework, Departments are responsible for their own decisions regarding what goods and services they choose to procure, in line with their own Departmental strategies and priorities.
	OGC has published Guidance on Fair and Ethical Trading, produced in consultation with the Fairtrade Foundation and DFID (who support the ethical trading initiative). In addition to this, OGC produced further guidance, Social Issues in Purchasing, in February 2006, which highlights how Departments can pursue a range of social issues in the procurement process, including ways to promote and encourage greater purchasing of fair and ethically traded goods. OGC is also on hand to assist Departments with their objectives to promote fair and ethical trade through their own procurement processes.

Official Residences

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which official residences he has access; and how many times he has stayed at Dorneywood since May 1997.

John Healey: The Chancellor of the Exchequer's official residence is No. 11 Downing street. He has not stayed at Dorneywood.

Olympic Delivery Authority

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have held meetings with representatives of companies or consortia on the shortlist for the contract as the Olympic Delivery Authority Deliver Partner; which (i) Ministers and (ii) companies or consortia partners were at each meeting; where each meeting took place; what was discussed; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Online Gambling

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contribution of the online gambling industry to the UK economy.

John Healey: Revenues from gambling taxes are published in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting, Gaming and Lottery Duties Bulletin, available at http://www.uktradeinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?task=bullbett.

Opinion Polls

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many opinion polls of  (a) his Department and  (b) the public his Department has commissioned in the last 12 months.

John Healey: The Treasury carries out an annual internal staff attitude survey. The most recent was conducted in December 2005. A summary of the results can be found on the HM Treasury website (www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about/information/about survey index.cfm).
	There have been three opinion polls of the public undertaken in the period:
	An opinion poll to support the HM Treasury and DCMS feasibility study on a potential bid for the 2018 World Cup.
	A joint poll for HM Treasury and the Button Trust on children's aspirations to inform the review on Children and Young People for the Comprehensive Spending Review.
	A survey is being undertaken on behalf of HM Treasury and the Department for Communities and Local Government as part of the Lyons Inquiry into Local Government research programme.
	The Department also conducts staff and public consultations, where appropriate, to aid operational and policy development.

Parliamentary Questions

Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many written questions to his Department remain unanswered at 25 July for  (a) between two and four weeks,  (b) between four and six weeks,  (c) between six and eight weeks and  (d) more than eight weeks; and how many in each category were tabled for named day answer.

John Healey: In the current session, Treasury Ministers have answered substantively in the House of Commons 5,602 written questions. 78 per cent. of the answers concerned were given on or before the date on which they were due.
	Information relating to unanswered questions is given in the table.
	
		
			  Weeks  Total number of questions  Named day questions 
			 2-4 11  
			 4-6 21 3 
			 6-8   
			 Over 8

Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Government received in tax from pension scheme funds that started to wind-up before 6 April 2005 with insufficient funds to cover all of their members' pension entitlements; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC does not hold centrally, details of the amount of tax paid by pension schemes winding-up.

Pensions

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the projections in respect of unfunded public sector pension schemes in the 2005 Long Term Public Finance Report are, excluding the cash inflows from member contributions.

Stephen Timms: The projections of expenditure in respect of unfunded public sector pension schemes in the 2005 Long Term Public Finance Report exclude the cash inflows from member contributions. The net projections could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We are considering showing gross and net figures in the future.

Personal Allowance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total cost of allowing the personal allowance to be transferred between spouses for families with children under three years old; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 17 July 2006
	The estimated annual cost of permitting the basic personal allowance (of 5,035 per year) to be transferable between married couples who have at least one child aged two or under, during 2006-07, is 0.3 billion.
	This estimate excludes any behavioural response to the change. It was calculated using the Department's tax and benefit mode, (IGOTM) based on data from the Family Resources Survey 2003-04, uprated to 2006-07 prices.

Personal Debt

James Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total amount of personal debt was in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on personal debt in the UK. (88735)
	We are unable to provide levels of total personal debt by region. The following table shows estimates for the whole of the UK.
	
		
			   Total personal debt (end-year) ( million) 
			 1997 586,659 
			 1998 625,134 
			 1999 675,599 
			 2000 734,790 
			 2001 810,665 
			 2002 923,144 
			 2003 1,046,913 
			 2004 1,172,032 
			 2005 1,275,740 
		
	
	The estimates of debt and income are national accounts series for the combined household and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) sectors. Estimates for households alone are not available. NPISHs are legal entities which are principally engaged in the production of non-market services for households and whose main resources are voluntary contributions by households. Examples of NPISHs are: charities; relief and aid organisations; educational establishments; Trade Unions; Professional Associations, Political Parties and Religious Organisations, and Sports Clubs and Associations.
	Further data are available from table A64 in United Kingdom Economic Accounts which is available at the following address:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=1904Pos=ColRank=1Rank=422

Post Office Network Services/Contracts

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what services  (a) his Department and  (b) its associated public bodies (i) make available and (ii) have made available in the last five years through the Post Office network; through how many outlets the service is or was made available; and how many relevant transactions were undertaken in each case in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for which services  (a) his Department and  (b) its associated public bodies hold contracts with the Post Office; and what the (i) start and (ii) termination date is of each contract.

John Healey: The Treasury does not hold contracts with nor provide services (nor has done in the last five years) through Post Office Limited (POL). The only associated public bodies of the Treasury that do hold formal contracts with POL and provide services through the POL network are HMRC and National Savings and Investment (NSI).
	HMRC has a contract with POL for the provision of the Post Office card account (POCA) service. The service is available at all PO branches. The contract runs from 22 March 2002 to 31 March 2010.
	HMRC has a contract with Post Office Ltd. (POL) for the provision of the Post Office card account (POCA) service. The service is available at all PO branches.
	HMRC started paying tax credits and child benefit into POCAs in April 2003. As of 30 June 2006, there were 156,178 people are paid tax credits through a POCA and 629,042 people receiving their child benefit through a POCAs. However, there is a significant overlap and the overall number of HMRC customers using a POCA is approximately 700,000. Approximately 14 per cent. of all child benefit payments are made into POCAs, for tax credits the figure is 4.5 per cent. In 2005 HMRC made 27,527,140 payments into POCAs.
	NSI currently have a two-year rolling contract with POL, which began on 1 April 2004, with no fixed end date.
	The Post Office provides the following services to NSI's customers:
	over the counter transactions (sales and repayments) for the majority of NSI products;
	provision of up-to-date product brochures for the majority of NSI products and other forms and leaflets; and
	provision of accurate oral information on NSI products and transactions in response to enquiries made by members of the general public at Post Offices or through the Post Office's customer telephone helpline.
	NSI uses around 14,000 Post Offices. The Post Office carried out approximately 9.8 million transactions (sales, payments, enquiries etc.) across a range of NSI products during the FY2005-06. Approximately 5 million of these transactions represent new and subsequent sales through Post Office Counters.

Postal Services (VAT)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to implement Postcomm's suggestion that a uniform 5 per cent. VAT rate be applied to all postal services.

Dawn Primarolo: European VAT agreements provide a mandatory VAT exemption for services provided by the public postal services. Under these same agreements, which cannot be changed without the unanimous approval of all EU member states, a reduced rate of 5 per cent. is not available for any postal services.

Private Finance Initiative Contracts

Philip Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many private finance initiative contracts commissioned directly by each Government Department and Government Agency in each year since 1997  (a) have been completed,  (b) have been contracted but not completed and  (c) are subject to current tender; and what the aggregate value is in each case.

John Healey: There are currently over 500 projects that have been signed and are now in operation.
	Around a further 200 projects have reached financial close, but are yet to become operational.
	The combined capital value of all signed projects is over 48 billion. Information on PFI projects that have reached financial close may be obtained from the 'PFI Signed Projects List' on the Treasury's public website.
	At the time of the Budget around 80 projects were at the preferred bidder stage and around 155 had yet to appoint a preferred bidder. The estimated aggregate capital value of these projects is around 26 billion. The capital value of projects at preferred bidder stage is shown in table C18 of the Budget.

Questionnaires

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) questionnaires,  (b) statistical inquiries and  (c) investigations have been carried out wholly or partly at public expense on behalf of or by his Department or public bodies for which he is responsible in each year since 1997; and what the (i) nature, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost was of each.

John Healey: Detailed information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Security Passes

Simon Hughes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in his Department in each year since February 2004.

John Healey: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Security passes 
			   Lost  Stolen 
			 2004 17  
			 2005 34 2 
			 2006 11 2

Skin Cancer

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were diagnosed with skin cancer in  (a) Brent and  (b) London in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people were diagnosed with skin cancer in  (a) Brent and  (b) London in each year since 1997.
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2003. Numbers of cases of melanoma skin cancer for the years 1997 to 2003 for London borough of Brent and London Government Office Region (GOR) are given in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Number of newly diagnosed cases of melanoma skin cancer( 1)  for London borough of Brent and London GOR, 1997-2003 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003 
			 Brent LB 8 13 9 18 14 15 18 
			 London GOR(2) 505 548 532 571 508 459 545 
			 (1) Melanoma skin cancer is defined as code C43 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD 10). (2) Figures for London GOR for the years 2000-03 are available in Table 4 of the Annual Reference Volume, Cancer statistics: Registrations, Series MB1.  Source:  Office for National Statistics

Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecoms

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what agreements exist between the Government and the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication;
	(2)  whether tracking financial transactions involving British citizens by counter-terrorism officials through the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication programme has been legally reconciled with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998;
	(3)  how many financial transactions have been tracked  (a) in total and  (b) by counter-terrorism officials using the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication programme in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many UK bank accounts have been frozen by his Department  (a) as a counter-terrorism measure and  (b) for other reasons as a result of financial transactions tracked using the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication programme in each year since 1997;
	(5)  to what UK financial regulation the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication programme is subject;
	(6)  what discussions the Government have had with its US counterparts to ensure the privacy of UK citizens who may have had their financial transactions viewed as part of US counter-terrorism investigations in conjunction with the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

Edward Balls: A total of 388 individuals and 181 entities are legally prevented from raising, moving or using funds in the UK pursuant to UN Security Council Resolutions 1267 (1999), 1333 (2000) and 1390 (2002) relating to the Taliban, Osama Bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network and UNSCR 1373 (2001). A total of 152 bank accounts in the UK have been frozen pursuant to the UK's international obligations under these Resolutions.
	It has been the policy of successive governments not to comment on specific security matters.
	The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is an industry owned cooperative. It is headquartered in Belgium. I refer the hon. Member to the statement posted by SWIFT on its own website some years ago on compliance (www.swift.com/index.cfm?item_id=6149) and the statement more recently on 23 June 2006 (www.swift.com/index.cfm?item_id=59897) which stated that In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, SWIFT responded to compulsory subpoenas for limited sets of data from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury. The UK Government are aware of the arrangement between the US Government and SWIFT.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases where there has been a successful prosecution for tax credit fraud the sum involved was less than  (a) 1,000,  (b) 5,000,  (c) 10,000,  (d) 25,000,  (e) 50,000,  (f) 100,000,  (g) 500,000 and  (h) 1,000,000; and what proportion of successful prosecutions for tax credit fraud each figure represents.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to provide the information in the format requested.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many direct recovery tax credit overpayment cases were outstanding as at 31 May; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: At 31 May 2006 there were some 759,000 households with direct recovery overpayments outstanding. Claimants subject to direct recovery are offered the facility to pay back overpayments over a 12 month period with some repayment arrangements exceeding 12 months.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many staff have been employed on tax credit compliance in each quarter since 2001-02; how many are planned to be employed up to 2007-08; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many claimant compliance officers have been working on tax credits in each quarter since April 2002; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many full-time equivalent staff have worked in the Tax Credit National Intelligence Analysis Team in each quarter since April 2003;
	(4)  how many staff in his Department have been engaged in detecting and assessing tax credit fraud in each month since July 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 15 June 2006
	I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to my reply of 16 February 2006,  Official Report, column 2420W.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been dealing with disputed tax credit overpayments in each quarter since 2001.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of full-time equivalent staff dealing with disputed overpayments each quarter between quarter ending June 2004 and quarter ending June 2006, was around;
	
		
			  Quarter ending  Number of staff 
			 June 2004 120 
			 September 2004 150 
			 December 2004 300 
			 March 2005 350 
			 June 2005 500 
			 September 2005 950 
			 December 2005 1,000 
			 March 2006 1,000 
			 June 2006 1,050

Tax Credits

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of increasing tax credits and benefits for the poorest families in areas where the cost of living is higher.

Dawn Primarolo: There are currently no plans to set varying tax credit rates across regions.
	The main costs which vary locally are housing and child care. Both the child care element of working tax credit, and housing benefit are directly related to the actual costs individuals face. As such they already offer greater support to those in areas where the cost of living is higher.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what meetings he has had on reducing tax credit fraud and error since April 2005; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many reports on tax credit compliance  (a) he and  (b) the Paymaster General received in each quarter from April 2003 to May 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 16 June 2006
	Treasury Ministers and officials have a number of meetings and receive reports on a wide range of subjects, including tax credits, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people received a tax credit payment twice due to an error made by the Tax Credit Office in each month since January 2003; what the Department's policy is in relation to such payments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not available.
	HMRC's approach to the recovery of overpayments is set out in its Code of Practice 26 What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit available at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/credit.htm.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what results were achieved by the tax credits office in Northern Ireland in reducing fraudulent cases of living together as husband and wife; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC have a range of approaches to tackle non-compliance. All claims, for example, are subject to an automated risk assessment process which looks at the features of a claim against known risks.
	In 2005-06 the number of compliance interventions settled in HMRC favour where an undeclared partner was established by the claimant compliance team in Northern Ireland was 59.

Tax Credits

Peter Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit overpayments were  (a) disputed and  (b) successfully disputed in Northern Ireland in each month of the last two financial years.

Dawn Primarolo: A total of around 16,000 households in Northern Ireland disputed an overpayment in 2004-05 and 2005-06. A monthly breakdown of this figure is not available. HM Revenue and Customs centralised its work on disputed overpayments in Great Britain and Northern Ireland in January 2006 and has not kept a separate count of disputes received from Northern Ireland households since the end of November 2005.
	The number of overpayments remitted, in full or in part, because of Official Error in each month, from July 2004 was around:
	
		
			   Number of payments written off( 1) 
			  2004-05  
			 July 5 
			 August 10 
			 September 10 
			 October 20 
			 November 10 
			 December 10 
			 January 10 
			 February 10 
			 March 20 
			   
			  2005-06  
			 April 10 
			 May 2,150 
			 June 3,900 
			 July 1,300 
			 August 3,000 
			 September 1,800 
			 October 1,100 
			 November 400 
			 December 100 
			 (1) Figures represent the numbers of remissions made and are therefore net comparable with the figures for the number of households disputing overpayments.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what anti-fraud packages were designed for the tax credits system; whether these are  (a) enabled and  (b) operational; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not appropriate to give specific details of anti-fraud packages as to do so could provide assistance to those engaged in criminal activity.
	Information of a more general nature can be found in Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits available on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance has been given to tax credit contact centres in relation to giving out the addresses of HM Revenue and Customs Enquiry Centres for claimants needing emergency payments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC's guidance tells Tax Credit Helpline advisers to provide details of Enquiry Centre addresses local to the claimant's area when an emergency payment is requested.

Tax Credits

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed on tax credit helplines  (a) for the general public and  (b) exclusively for the use of hon. Members and their staff in each year since they were created.

Dawn Primarolo: For the number of staff employed on dedicated tax credits helplines in April 2003, April 2004 and April 2005 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 28 November 2005,  Official Report, column 81W, and to the answer given on 19 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1628W.
	At April 2006 there were 3500 full-time equivalent staff, this includes staff from Northern Ireland who became part of the tax credit virtual network in November 2005.
	 (b) The number of FTE staff (Advisers) available to answer calls to the MP Hotline, are shown as at June 2003 (the first date for which number are available) and in April of each year thereafter and are around:
	
		
			   Number of staff( 1) 
			 June 2003 20 
			 April 2004 33 
			 April 2005 36 
			 April 2006 32 
			 (1) Full-time equivalent

Tax Credits

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to reduce errors in payments of tax credit payments.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the HMRC publication Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits available at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial provision has been made to date by his Department to cover losses from tax credit fraud since 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Financial provisions are set out in HM Revenue and Customs' accounts.
	HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts: The Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report is available at http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/05-06/05061159.htm.

Tax Credits

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overpayments of tax credits in the last 12 months have been due to administrative errors; and what steps are being taken to reduce such errors.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the HMRC publication Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits available at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm and to HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts: The Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report, Part 2, available at http://www.nao.org.uk/pn05-06/05061159.htm.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any bonus payments have been made to staff dealing with tax credits since 12 December 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 10 July 2006
	The information is not available. Staff in various parts of HM Revenue and Customs, not only the Tax Credit Office, may be deployed to tax credits work or deal with tax credits in addition to other work. It is not possible to isolate those in receipt of bonus payments.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions there have been for  (a) tax credit fraud and  (b) tax credit fraud over 250,000 in each month since January 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were prosecuted in  (a) 2004-05 and  (b) 2005-06 for tax credit fraud; how many were found guilty; how much money was fraudulently obtained in each such case where proceedings are complete; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: For numbers of prosecutions and successful prosecutions I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the publications Tackling error and fraud in the Child and Working Tax Credits available on the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/index.htm. and to HM Revenue and Customs 2005-06 Accounts: The Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Report, part 2, available at http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/05-06/05061159.htm.
	The other information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Tax Credits

James Paice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in South East Cambridgeshire were  (a) underpaid and  (b) overpaid child and working tax credit in each of the last five years; and what the value was of (i) underpayments and (ii) overpayments.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 16 June 2006, O fficial Report, column 1421W.

Teenage Pregnancies

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many underage pregnancies there were in each London borough in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many underage pregnancies there were in each London borough in each year since 1997. (87507)
	Available figures are estimates of the number of pregnancies that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or termination.
	Number of conceptions to girls aged under 16 in each London Borough for the years 1997-2004 (the most recent year for which figures are available), are shown in the attached table. Figures for 2004 are provisional.
	
		
			  Number of conceptions to girls aged under 16 years by area of usual residence, London, 1997-2004( 1) 
			  Area of usual residence  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004( 1) 
			 London 1,141 1,152 1,058 1,246 1,252 1,229 1,247 1,127 
			 Camden LB 25 24 21 24 22 25 23 14 
			 Hackney LB and City of London 64 65 45 69 62 56 62 52 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham LB 26 16 27 21 22 21 25 11 
			 Haringey LB 50 50 33 60 59 59 46 62 
			 Islington LB 29 20 34 27 37 30 33 35 
			 Kensington and Chelsea LB 16 11 18 19 14 13 8 5 
			 Lambeth LB 81 81 69 78 80 95 100 64 
			 Lewisham LB 66 63 55 62 61 70 74 59 
			 Newham LB 55 54 61 69 71 59 45 47 
			 Southwark LB 59 57 61 63 68 77 83 66 
			 Tower Hamlets LB 23 49 19 39 42 34 28 35 
			 Wandsworth LB 46 46 48 44 48 41 39 27 
			 Westminster City of LB 14 16 20 20 20 17 17 8 
			 Barking and Dagenham LB 43 25 34 45 51 43 44 41 
			 Barnet LB 28 20 28 35 34 27 38 34 
			 Bexley LB 34 37 30 22 34 36 27 36 
			 Brent LB 32 36 49 55 52 50 54 49 
			 Bromley LB 30 29 24 35 33 38 39 36 
			 Croydon LB 64 77 67 78 72 68 57 63 
			 Ealing LB 28 43 31 41 31 32 29 32 
			 Enfield LB 47 33 26 48 43 51 58 46 
			 Greenwich LB 62 52 59 43 51 45 45 49 
			 Harrow LB 22 19 9 15 24 21 18 25 
			 Havering LB 22 22 25 31 23 18 29 25 
			 Hillingdon LB 37 47 27 32 37 39 48 50 
			 Hounslow LB 30 25 41 34 38 25 34 36 
			 Kingston upon Thames LB 14 18 14 10 9 8 9 9 
			 Merton LB 13 26 13 34 20 22 27 24 
			 Redbridge LB 23 20 22 26 26 28 25 25 
			 Richmond upon Thames LB 13 11 7 9 10 9 8 12 
			 Sutton LB 9 25 13 17 17 23 25 20 
			 Waltham Forest LB 36 35 28 41 41 49 50 30 
			 (1) Figures for 2004 are provisional.  Note:  To preserve confidentiality, counts for City of London have been combined with those for Hackney LB.

Teleworker Heat and Fuel Allowance

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department takes to monitor the cost of domestic fuel for those entitled to the teleworker heat and fuel allowance.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC does not monitor the cost of domestic fuel used by particular groups of individuals. All employers can reimburse the full additional heat and fuel costs of employees working at home under the statutory homeworking exemption without a tax or national insurance charge arising.

Teleworker Heat and Fuel Allowance

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the teleworkers heat and fuel allowance.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no current plans to change the exemption for additional household expenses incurred by employees who work at home.

Teleworker Heat and Fuel Allowance

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what threshold he has set for rises in domestic fuel costs that will trigger consideration on increasing the teleworkers heat and fuel allowance.

Dawn Primarolo: Employers can reimburse the full additional heat and fuel costs of employees working at home under the statutory homeworking exemption without a tax or national insurance charge arising.

Teleworker Heat and Fuel Allowance

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether research has been carried out into the extent to which teleworkers' income is being affected by changes in  (a) domestic fuel costs and  (b) the teleworkers heat and fuel allowance.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC does not monitor the cost of domestic fuel used by particular groups of individuals. There have been no changes to the statutory homeworking exemption under which employers can reimburse employees the full additional costs of working from home without a tax or national insurance charge arising.

Unemployment Statistics

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many jobs were lost in the  (a) tourism,  (b) agriculture,  (c) fishing and  (d) defence-related industries in each constituency in Devon and Cornwall in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 25 July 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about job losses in tourism, agriculture, fishing and defence-related industries. (87391)
	While statistics of jobs lost or created are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes in the number of jobs from year to year.
	The attached table shows the number of employee jobs in tourism-related industries in each constituency in Devon and Cornwall in 2004, and net changes since 2003. These figures are obtained by combining estimates of employee jobs in the following industries, as identified by the Standard Industrial Classification 2003:
	Hotels and other tourist accommodation
	Restaurants, bars and canteens
	Transport
	Travel agencies/tour operators
	Recreation services.
	The table also shows the number of employee jobs in agriculture, fishing, and defence activities in Devon and Cornwall as a whole, and for those constituencies where information is available.
	These estimates are from the Annual Business Inquiry and, as with any sample survey, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Employee jobs in tourism, agriculture, fishing and defence activities in Devon and Cornwall, by Parliamentary Constituency, 2003 and 2004 
			   Tourism( 1)  Agriculture, hunting and forestry( 2) 
			   2003  2004  Change:  2003-04  2003  2004 
			 East Devon 4,300 5,100 800 (5) (5) 
			 Exeter 6,200 7,000 800 (5) (5) 
			 Falmouth and Camborne 4,500 4,300 -200 (5) (5) 
			 North Cornwall 8,800 8,500 -300 (5) (5) 
			 North Devon 6,200 7,200 1,000 100 100 
			 Plymouth, Devonport 1,900 2,000 100 (5) (5) 
			 Plymouth, Sutton 6,600 7,800 1,200 (5) (5) 
			 South East Cornwall 5,000 4,900 -100 100 100 
			 St. Ives 5,700 5,700 0 (5) (5) 
			 Teignbridge 5,100 6,000 900 200 100 
			 Tiverton and Honiton 5,300 5,900 600 200 200 
			 Torbay 7,600 9,000 1,400 (5) (5) 
			 Torridge and West Devon 4,800 5,700 900 300 300 
			 Totnes 4,600 5,300 700 100 100 
			 Truro and St. Austell 6,000 6,000 0 (5) (5) 
			 Devon and Cornwall 82,700 90,200 7,500 1,400 1,300 
		
	
	
		
			   Fishing( 3)  Defence activities( 4) 
			   2003  2004  2003  2004 
			 East Devon (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Exeter (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Falmouth and Camborne 100 (5) (5) (5) 
			 North Cornwall (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 North Devon (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Plymouth, Devonport (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Plymouth, Sutton (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 South East Cornwall 100 (5) (5) (5) 
			 St. Ives 200 100 (5) (5) 
			 Teignbridge (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Tiverton and Honiton (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Torbay (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Torridge and West Devon (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Totnes 100 (5) (5) (5) 
			 Truro and St. Austell (5) (5) (5) (5) 
			 Devon and Cornwall 700 400 3,400 3,500 
			 (1) Tourism is defined as Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2003 Groups: 551-555: Hotels and restaurants; 601-623: Transport; 633: Travel agencies and tour operators n.e.c; 925: Library, archives, museums and other cultural activities; 926: Sporting activities; 927: Other recreational activities. (2) SIC 2003 Division A: Agriculture, hunting and forestry. These figures are aggregates from which agriculture class 0100 (SIC 2003) have been excluded. (3) SIC 2003 Division B: Fishing (4) SIC 2003 Class 7522: Defence activities (5) These figures are not shown in order to prevent the disclosure of data that could lead to individual businesses being identified.  Note:  The estimates for individual industries in Parliamentary Constituencies are based on very small sample sizes and are hence subject to significant sampling variation. Changes between years cannot be assessed at all reliably for these cases.

Valuation Office Agency

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from which public sector organisations the Valuation Office Agency obtains data; and with which it shares data.

Dawn Primarolo: VOA obtains or shares data in accordance with its statutorily authorised activities across a very wide range of public sector organisations in central and local government. A comprehensive list could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Vehicle Excise Duty

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cars in each vehicle excise duty band are  (a) leased to and  (b) owned by (i) HM Treasury and (ii) its agencies.

John Healey: Details of the Treasury and its agencies are as follows.
	
		
			  Chancellor's Department  Owns  VED/CO 2  Band  Leases  VED/CO 2  Band 
			 Core HM Treasury 0  0  
			 ONS 9 C 0  
			 ONS 4 D 0  
			 Royal Mint 2 C 0  
			 Royal Mint 1 E 0  
			 Royal Mint 1 F 0  
			 OGC Buying Solutions 0  5 D 
			 OCG 0  2 C 
			 OCG 0  4 D 
			 OCG 0  1 E 
			 NS and I 0  0  
			 DMO 0  0

Veredus

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which appointments in his Department have been made using the recruitment agency Veredus; what the date was of each appointment; and how much was paid to Veredus in respect of each.

John Healey: The Head of Business Delivery for the Debt Management Office, an executive agency of HM Treasury, was recruited using Veredus in August 2005. It would not be appropriate on grounds of commercial confidentiality to disclose how much was paid to Veredus.

Welsh Speakers

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Welsh speakers there are in Wales; and what proportion this is of the Welsh population.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006:
	The National Statistician and Registrar General for England and Wales has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many Welsh speakers there are in Wales; and what proportion this is of the Welsh population. I am replying in her absence. (88376)
	The most recent information available on Welsh speakers is from the 2001 Census. The table below shows that on Census day (29 April 2001) there were 582,368 people living in Wales who reported that they were able to speak Welsh, which is 20.8 per cent. of the Welsh population. The figure has been extracted from Table T39 on the CD supplement to the Census 2001 National report for England and Wales, which is available in the House of Commons Library.
	
		
			  Welsh speakers in Wales, 29 April 2001 
			   All people aged 3 and over 
			 All people 2,805,701 
			 Number of people who reported that they spoke Welsh 582,368 
			 Percentage of people who reported that they spoke Welsh 20.8 
			  Note:  In line with standard Census reports on language skills children under 3 have been excluded from the table.  Source: Table T39 in the Census 2001 National report for England and Wales

Winter Deaths

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many excess winter deaths there were in each London borough in 2005.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated 25 July 2006
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many excess winter deaths there were in London borough in 2005. I am replying in her absence. (88550)
	The latest available figures on excess winter deaths (the excess number of deaths each winter compared to the average during other months of the year) for local authorities are for 2003/2004. Figures for London boroughs were given in a Written Answer on 17(th) Novemebr2005 (Hansard Column 1574W), in response to a previous question of yours.
	Estimates for 2004/5 are expected to be published in November 2006.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Abortion

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance has been provided to health professionals on advice to be provided to women seeking abortions.

Paul Goggins: The Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety has set up a Working Group with representatives from a wide range of professional and specialty backgrounds including nursing and midwifery, obstetrics and gynaecology, public health, psychiatry, clinical genetics, Family Planning doctors and General Practitioners to develop guidance on abortion in Northern Ireland.
	It is proposed to issue the draft Guidance on Termination of Pregnancy in Northern Ireland to interested parties for consultation in September. The completed guidance will be published early next year along with supporting leaflets for public use.

Abortion

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the outcome was of the survey conducted in September 2005 of health professionals on advice for females seeking abortions.

Paul Goggins: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety set up a working group to inquire into the adequacy of termination of pregnancy services provided in Northern Ireland (including aftercare); and following such inquiry, and after appropriate consultation with concerned organisations, to issue appropriate guidance.
	The Working Group developed a suite of questionnaires in consultation with Obstetricians and GPs. The responses from these questionnaires have been used to inform the drafting of Guidance on Termination of Pregnancy in Northern Ireland. It is anticipated the guidance will be released for consultation with interested parties in early September 2006.
	It is intended that the completed guidance will be issued early next year along with supporting leaflets for public use.

Adult Community Learning

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what budget has been allocated to adult community learning by each education and library board in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The Education and Library Boards are not responsible for Adult Community Learning therefore no budget has been allocated to Education and Library Boards for adult community learning in the last five years.

Ambulance Service

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of  (a) current mileage levels for Omagh ambulance crews and  (b) mileage levels prior to the acute services status change at Tyrone county hospital.

Paul Goggins: The mileage recorded by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service for its emergency A and E ambulances and non-emergency patient care service vehicles based in Omagh during the most recent quarter following the changes to acute services at Tyrone county hospital and the equivalent quarter in the previous year are shown in the tables as follows:
	
		
			  A and E ambulances 
			   2005  2006  Percentage change 
			 April 6,345 11,105 75 
			 May 6,854 9,597 40 
			 June 6,898 11,679 69 
			 Total 20,097 32,381 61 
		
	
	
		
			  PCS vehicles 
			   2005  2006  Percentage change 
			 April 7,955 8,823 11 
			 May 6,649 10,650 60 
			 June 5,889 11,584 97 
			 Total 20,493 31,057 51

Ambulance Service

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the outcome was of the review of the effectiveness of the Ambulance Service's arrangements for ambulance cover at the Northland Road Fire and Rescue Service Station.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service's review has confirmed that its performance has improved significantly in the area covered by the Northland Road ambulance deployment point, which opened in May 2006. Almost 62 per cent. of life threatening emergency calls received in June 2006 were responded to within the national eight minute response target compared to 53.1 per cent. in April.

Breast Cancer

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans his Department has  (a) to review the training and  (b) conduct retraining of consultant radiologists in relation to breast cancer; what funding is available for this initiative; and what assessment he has made of the findings of the inquiry into the conduct of radiology in Antrim hospital.

Paul Goggins: The independent review by the Regulation and Quality and Improvement Authority (RQIA) into the conduct of radiology did not identify problems with training in breast radiology locally. However, staff shortages in the specialty were considered by the RQIA a contributory factor. The RQIA review recommended the promotion of the sub-speciality of breast radiology to medical trainees and also encouragement of the development of various models of service provision through a range of skill mix options as outlined in the NHS Breast Screening Programme. The Department is currently considering the detailed recommendations of the RQIA review and is exploring with the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency the feasibility of increasing the number of specialist trainees in breast radiology.

Charity Fraud

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many charities are under investigation in Northern Ireland regarding possible fraudulent transactions.

Paul Goggins: It is not normal policy for the PSNI to comment on on-going investigations as this may prejudice inquiries.

Chief Medical Officer

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the  (a) salary is and  (b) other benefits are of the newly appointed Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The salary of the newly appointed Chief Medical Officer will be in the range 135,000 to 140,000. The Chief Medical Officer has been appointed on secondment terms from the Royal Victoria Hospital to the Department of Health, Social Service and Public Safety. He will retain all the terms and conditions available from his present employer.
	 (b) No other benefits are available to the Chief Medical Officer.

Civil Servants

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants in Northern Ireland who were convicted of fraud or theft were  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed in each of the last three years.

David Hanson: The following table covers Northern Ireland civil servants working within the 11 NI Departments/agencies and also includes staff employed in the Northern Ireland Office.
	
		
			   Convicted of fraud  Convicted of theft 
			   Disciplined  Dismissed  Disciplined  Dismissed 
			 2005-06 0 0 0 0 
			 2004-05 0 0 0 0 
			 2003-04 0 0 0 0

Cranial Remoulding Orthosis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children in the Province are waiting for cranial remoulding orthosis treatment.

Paul Goggins: At 24 July 2006, there were no patients waiting for treatment for cranial remoulding orthosis in Northern Ireland.

Cranial Remoulding Orthosis

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many people in the Province have undergone cranial remoulding orthosis;
	(2)  how many children in the Province travelled outside Northern Ireland to consult an NHS specialist for cranial remoulding orthosis in 2005-06.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is not held centrally and will take some time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member with the relevant information as soon as it becomes available and place a copy in the Library.

Crime

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of reported crimes in each Westminster constituency in Northern Ireland resulted in  (a) an arrest and  (b) a conviction in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006.

Paul Goggins: As the PSNI do not collate details of the number of arrests or convictions, the information cannot be given in the format requested and could be done only at disproportionate cost. A table showing details of the number of crimes reported and cleared by each district command unit for the years requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Cycling

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to promote cycling in Northern Ireland.

David Cairns: The Department for Regional Development's Roads Service promotes cycling in Northern Ireland from two perspectives. Firstly, it continues to invest some 800,000 per annum on the cycling infrastructure to improve facilities for cyclists and to make cycling as safe as is possible. This includes the creation of further cycle lanes (both traffic free and on-road); the provision of town centre bicycle parking facilities; and the installation of toucan crossings for cyclists at key points on the network.
	Secondly, through its annual Northern Ireland Travelwise initiative, Roads Service promotes a series of highly marketed cycling events during National Bike Week. This year Bike Week took place from 17-25 June 2006 when some 400 cyclists participated in events across Northern Ireland. I understand that there are plans to organise further cycling events in the years ahead.
	In partnership with the NI tourist board, the Environment and Heritage Service and the Health Promotion Agency, Roads Service co-funds a project to promote all types of cycling across Northern Ireland. As a result 'Cycle Northern Ireland' was established in 2005 and currently employs a dedicated marketing team whose aim is to promote cycling for the domestic/out of state markets; to raise awareness of the product available; and to encourage cycling as a mode of transport and as a leisure pursuit.
	Additionally, Roads Service in conjunction with representatives from the six councils in the Belfast metropolitan area (BMA); Sustrans, the UK's leading sustainable transport charity; and Cycle NI have formed the Greater Belfast Cycle Marketing Group with the aim of co-ordinating the promotion of cycling within the BMA.
	The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), through its Rural Development Programme 2001-06 (RDP), has allocated some 1,347,000 to assist Sustrans on a number of practical projects to extend the National Cycle Network.
	The RDP has also provided approximately 113,000 of funding to the Countryside Access and Activities Network to develop cycling trails on DARD's Forest Service properties at Castle Archdale Forest, Co Fermanagh, Gosford Forest Park, Co Armagh and Castlewellan Forest Park, Co Down and a further 42,000 has been allocated to Fermanagh district council for the development of a cycling trail at Florencecourt Forest Park in Co Fermanagh. 18,000 has been allocated to Ordnance Survey NI to develop Sperrins cycling route maps.
	The Forest Service also continues to work with organisations including Sustrans to facilitate the development of the National Cycling Network through the provision of cycling routes through public forests. Cycle trails now exist in, or pass through, 11 Forest Service properties, and the Service has a target this year to publish operational guidelines for cycling in forests.
	The Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) through the Sports Council for Northern Ireland (SCNI) is currently working with the Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) on the development of a series of family trails; cross-country trails; and downhill trails at a variety of sites across Northern Ireland. These will provide cyclists of all ages and abilities from within Northern Ireland and overseas with the opportunity to participate in quality off-road cycling in a planned, managed and safe environment.
	The first off-road family cycling trail, the Craigavon Lakes Mountain Bike Trail, was opened by the then Minister, in September 2005. This trail is approximately 10 km long and is designed to be robust, sustainable and rideable in all weathers. The SCNI awarded funding of some 36,000 from lottery to support the development of this project
	Three further off-road family cycling trails are planned for development by CAAN in the coming year and a total of 26 trails are planned for sites throughout Northern Ireland.
	In the past three years SCNI has provided some 110,000 to Cycling Ulster, the governing body of cycling in Northern Ireland, to support the continuing promotion and development of the sport. SCNI, through its Athlete Support Programme, also invested almost 149,000 in 12 high performance cyclists over the last three years and recently undertook a study on feasibility of a multi-purpose cycling Velodrome in Northern Ireland at the request of Cycling Ulster.

Dentistry

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dentists are registered in NHS practices in each of the health board areas in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The information requested is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  Dentists registered in NHS practices by Health Board Area as at 18 July 2006 
			  Health Board  Number 
			 Eastern 332 
			 Northern 191 
			 Southern 153 
			 Western 121 
			 NI 751 
			  Note:  Dentists holding multiple contracts within a Health Board Area are counted only once within that Health Board Area. The sum of dentists by Health Board is not the same as the NI figure as dentists can work in different Boards under different contracts and will be counted once within each Health Board Area in which they work.   Source:  Central Services Agency

Departmental Assets (Capital Charges)

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what capital charges on assets will be paid by each Northern Ireland department out of the 2006-07 budget.

David Hanson: The following table, based on the position as established in the Priorities and Budget 2006-08, sets out planned current expenditure and capital charges within each relevant Departmental expenditure limit for 2006-07:
	
		
			  Departmental expenditure limit: current expenditure and capital charges for 2006-07 
			   million 
			  Department  Current expenditure  Of which:  Capital charges 
			 Agriculture and Rural Development 233.3 14.8 
			 Culture, Arts and Leisure 102.7 2.4 
			 Education 1,632.8 -0.4 
			 Employment and Learning 687.4 8.0 
			 Enterprise, Trade and Investment 199.8 3.2 
			 Finance and Personnel 211.7 11.8 
			 Health, Social Services and Public Safety 3,591.9 39.2 
			 Environment 126.6 1.4 
			 Regional Development 382.3 0.1 
			 Social Development 516.8 1.6 
			 Office of the First and Deputy First Minister 74.8 0.3

Departmental Vehicles

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants within each Government Department in the Province used chauffeured cars in each of the last five years;  (a) how many times civil servants within each Government Department in the Province used such cars in each year; and  (b) what the cost was in each year.

David Hanson: Records of numbers of civil servants using chauffeured cars do not exist prior to April 2003. Estimates of the numbers of civil servants by department that have used chauffeur driven vehicles provided by the DFP centralised car pool since April 2003 to June 2006 are given in table 1. It does not include numbers from Departments that have access to their own chauffeured vehicles, as those Departments do not hold these records.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Department  Number of civil servants 
			 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) 73 
			 Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL) 23 
			 Department of Education 24 
			 Department of Employment and Learning (DEL) 31 
			 Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) 17 
			 Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) 138 
			 Department of Health, Social Service and Public Safety (DHSSPS) 142 
			 Department of Environment (DOE) 42 
			 Department for Regional Development (DRD) 31 
			 Department for Social Development 47 
			 Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) 96 
			 Northern Ireland Office (NIO) (1)0 
			 (1) The NIO has its own car pool and does not use the DFP centralised car pool. It does not record the number of civil servants who use the service. 
		
	
	A breakdown of the figures by year could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	 (a) Table 2 provides an estimate of the breakdown of usage per Department (in journeys) for which records exist. The figures include the DFP car pool and departmental cars but not the NIO which does not record this information.
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Fiscal year 
			  Department  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 DARD 1,108 1,280 1,079 
			 DCAL 369 427 360 
			 DE 221 256 216 
			 DEL 295 341 288 
			 DETI 1,944 1,985 1,822 
			 DFP 1,477 1,706 1,439 
			 DHSSPS 1,234 1,441 1,276 
			 DOE 221 256 216 
			 DRD 369 427 360 
			 DSD 437 1,102 792 
			 OFMDFM 1,255 1,450 1,223 
			 NIO (1) (1) (1) 
			 (1) Figures not available 
		
	
	 (b) Estimated costs for the use of chauffeured cars are shown in table 3.
	
		
			  Table 3 
			   Costs () 
			 2002-03 967,032 
			 2003-04 1,056,463 
			 2004-05 1,187,154 
			 2005-06 1,226,898 
			  Note:  These figures are not comparable to figures in tables 1 and 2 as they include the cost of the NIO service. The totals also include the costs of providing a service to visiting dignitaries and other non civil servants.

Domestic Rates

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the latest estimate is of the average effective tax rate in Northern Ireland to be levied on domestic rates bills in respect of the  (a) district and  (b) regional rate in (i) Northern Ireland as a whole and (ii) each district in Northern Ireland in 2007-08.

David Hanson: Individual district council projections for 2007-08 are not available. Each district council is responsible for setting its own rate and the spending plans for the 26 district councils are not yet known for 2007-08. However, the average district rate for 2007-08 is estimated to be 0.00273 or 2.73 per 1,000 of capital value. This estimate is based on the assumption of a 6 per cent. increase in the average simulated domestic capital value rates that would have applied in 2006-07.
	The regional rate for 2007-08 is estimated to be 0.00360 or 3.60 per 1,000 of capital value. This estimate is also based on a 6 per cent. increase for the regional rate, which has already been announced in the draft Priorities and Budget 2006-08.
	Therefore, it is estimated that the total (district and regional) average effective tax rate to be levied on households in Northern Ireland under the new discrete capital values system in April 2007 will be 6.33 for every 1,000 of capital value.

Field Studies

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many secondary school field courses were funded by each education and library board in each of the last seven years; and how many students have attended such courses.

Maria Eagle: The information on funding and students attending such courses is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Gambling

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland are receiving publicly funded assistance for a gambling addiction; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: It is not possible to estimate the number of people receiving assistance through health services for a gambling addiction. There is no record of patients receiving treatment solely for a gambling addiction although those patients with a co-existent mental illness or alcohol problem may receive therapy for gambling as part of their treatment.
	There is no provision in law for publicly funded assistance for gambling addiction and no support is available through the benefit system.

Genito-urinary Medicine

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the merits of further genito-urinary medicine clinics in the Province.

Paul Goggins: In April 2006 DHSSPS asked the four health and social services boards to jointly undertake a review of sexual health/GUM services in Northern Ireland. In particular the review will address:
	(a) the potential to optimise the utilisation of current resources including facilities, staff and diagnosticsthis will take into account an analysis by the Service Delivery Unit;
	(b) the potential to develop the capacity of primary/community based services to respond to the increased demand in the population;
	(c) equity of access across Northern Ireland; and
	(d) working towards the achievement of targets for open access and waiting times for appointments.
	The Review is expected to be completed by the end of September 2006.

Integrated Schools

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) maintained and  (b) state controlled schools have transformed to the integrated school sector over the last five years in each education and library board area; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Over the last five years no maintained schools have transformed to integrated status. Two controlled primary schools in the north-eastern education and library board area; one controlled primary school in the south-eastern education and library board area; and one controlled primary school in the western education and library board area have transformed to controlled integrated status.
	I have also recently announced the transformation of Crumlin High School in the north eastern education and library board area to take effect from September 2007.

Language Support

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people whose country of origin is outside Northern Ireland and whose first language is other than English, are enrolled in each college of further and higher education in each education and library board area, broken down by country of origin.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Employment and Learning does not collect information on students whose first language is other than English. The following table details FE enrolments by Education and Library Board Area for students whose country of domicile was reported as outside NI in 2004-05 (latest available data).
	
		
			   Region of Domicile  
			  Education and Library Board  Great Britain  Republic of Ireland  European Union( 1)  Other overseas  Total 
			 Belfast 11 14 19 31 75 
			 North Eastern 12 10 15 93 130 
			 South Eastern 154 43 39 134 370 
			 Southern 112 395 32 46 585 
			 Western 1 46 3 17 67 
			 Unknown 19 5,456 29 50 5,554 
			 Total 309 5,964 137 371 6,781 
			 (1 )European Union includes those countries that where members in November 2004.  Notes: 1. Data relates to enrolments over the whole academic year. 2. Current student postcode is used to determine Education and Library Board Area.  Source:  FESR.

Medical Assessments

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) children and  (b) adults travelled outside Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for NHS medical assessment.

Paul Goggins: This information is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ministerial Offices

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years.

Peter Hain: As Secretary of State for Northern Ireland I have offices in London and Belfast. The London office received minor re-decoration in 2005. The Belfast office was re-decorated in 2004.

Ministerial Travel

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of travel to Northern Ireland by Ministers in his Department in each of the last eight years.

Peter Hain: The cost of travel to Northern Ireland by Ministers is available for the last six years and is as follows:
	
		
			
			 2000-01 643,968 
			 2001-02 591,619 
			 2002-03 544,489 
			 2003-04 486,545 
			 2004-05 465,667 
			 2005-06 469,638

MRSA

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many incidences of MRSA bacteria were reported in each health board area by  (a) doctors and nurses and  (b) others in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06; and in how many cases poor cleaning was the suspected cause.

Paul Goggins: The number of incidences of MRSA bacteria reported broken down by  (a) doctors and nurses and  (b) others or whether poor cleaning was the suspected cause is not available. However, the total number of MRSA bacteraemia reported within each health board, for 2004-05 and 2005-06, is available, and is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
			  Health board( 1)  2004-05  2005-06( 2) 
			 Eastern 143 113 
			 Northern 47 34 
			 Southern 24 19 
			 Western 28 20 
			 NI Total 242 186 
			 (1 )Health Board of Treatment. (2) Figures for 2005-06 only indicate the period 1 April to 31 December 2005.  Source:  Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre Northern Ireland (CDSC (NI)).

Murals

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the use of funds to encourage the removal of murals from gable walls in  (a) Loyalist and  (b) nationalist areas; by whom the funds will be administered; and who the representatives will be from the communities taking part in the exercise.

Maria Eagle: 'Re-imaging Communities' is a 3.3 million funding programme, administered by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, for local communities which, over the next three years, will help communities to develop mural art and public art which celebrates life and helps people to feel part of the community they live in. It will also have a focus on replacing paramilitary murals and emblems with positive community images. It aims to build on and complement existing, though ad hoc, initiatives across Northern Ireland.
	The Programme will support a wide range of community-led projects, offering grants of up to 5,000 for small projects and up to 50,000 for larger scale projects.
	Applications will be invited from any local community group. Ideally these applications should be consistent with the local council's good relations strategy or plan. There will be community development workers, employed by the Arts Council, available to help develop organisations in those areas which find it hard to access this type of funding. The Arts Council will look at all applications it receives, but in order to achieve high quality/good design in the new murals and public artwork, would expect an artist to be involved.

Nationality Restrictions

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislation has been  (a) proposed and  (b) implemented in relation to the recommendations of the Senior Civil Service Review Team on nationality restrictions.

Patrick McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
	Since 2001, my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) has, on several occasions, introduced a Private Member's Bill supporting these proposals. The Government indicated its support for this Bill during debate on it in the 2003-04 Session. The hon. Member's Bill has not completed the necessary Parliamentary stages in the current session.
	A provision was included in the Courts Act 2003 enabling persons of any nationality resident in the UK to apply to be appointed as a justice of the peace.

Nursing

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what bursary entitlements are available for nursing students from Northern Ireland who study in Great Britain.

Paul Goggins: Throughout the United Kingdom, the funding of student nurse training, including bursary support, is the responsibility of the Health Department in whose area the course of study is being undertaken.
	The following table details the bursary support available for nursing students from Northern Ireland studying in Great Britain for the academic year 2006-07.
	
		
			  Student support for pre-registration nursing students for academic year 2006-07 
			   
			   England  Scotland  Wales 
			 Personal Bursary (1)5,983 5,990 5,983 
			 Over 26 Allowance (2)682 755 (2)682 
			 Initial Expenses 55 55 55 
			 Dependants Allowance Means tested Means tested Means tested 
			 Single Parent Allowance (2)1,026 non means tested 1,210 non means tested (2)1,026 non means tested 
			 Child Care Allowance (3)85 per cent. of costs (means-tested/ceiling imposed) Up to 1,130 (non-means tested) (3)85 per cent. of costs (means-tested/ ceiling imposed 
			 Pregnancy/Childbirth Allowance (4)Ceiling of 45 weeks bursary entitlement Bursary entitlement continued (detail not yet available) (4)Ceiling of 45 weeks bursary entitlement 
			 (1 )In England students undertaking the degree programme apply for a means-tested bursary with a student loan while those on the diploma course are eligible for a non-means tested bursary only. (2) In England and Wales if students receive the over 26 allowance, they may not receive the single parent allowance also. (3) Child care allowance paid for registered child careceiling 117 for one child, 174 for two or more children per week. Scotland pays a contribution to child care up to a ceiling of 1,130 per annum. (4) England and Wales have introduced interim arrangements to continue to pay bursary support to students who are absent from their course due to pregnancy and childbirth for a period up to  45 weeks.

Parking

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislation applying in Northern Ireland prohibits motorists from parking their cars on pavements.

David Cairns: The Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service (Mr. Geoff Allister) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	 Letter from Mr. Geoff Allister, dated 25 July 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what legislation applying in Northern Ireland deters motorists from parking their cars on pavements.
	As this issue falls within my responsibility as Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
	At present, the principal traffic regulation order relating to waiting and loading restrictions throughout Northern Ireland is the Roads (Restriction of Waiting) Order (Northern Ireland) 1982 (the 1982 Order). A yellow line waiting restriction placed on the carriageway applies to all of the side of the road on which it is located, i.e. from the center of the road to the road boundary, which may include a footway or verge. A motorist parking their vehicle on a footway adjacent to a yellow line marking on the carriageway is guilty of an offence.
	In addition, the Footways (Prohibition of Waiting) (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 1981 (the 1981 Order) prohibits the waiting by motor vehicles, at any time, on footways adjacent to clearways. Any person who contravenes the 1981 Order or the 1982 Order is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 1,000.
	Article 88 (obstruction of roads) of the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 also provides that any person who, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, in any way intentionally or negligently obstructs the free passage along a road shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 500.

Parliamentary Questions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  how many parliamentary  (a) questions and  (b) draft answers on Northern Ireland matters tabled by (i) hon. Members for Northern Ireland constituencies and (ii) hon. Members for constituencies in Great Britain have been notified to the North/South Inter-governmental Conference Secretariat in the last 12 months, broken down by hon. Member;
	(2)  for what purpose parliamentary  (a) questions and  (b) draft answers on Northern Ireland matters tabled by hon. Members are notified to the North/ South Inter-governmental Conference Secretariat.

Peter Hain: I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the British Irish Inter-Governmental Secretariat (BIIS).
	Northern Ireland Office officials in the BIIS receive a daily list of all parliamentary questions tabled to my Department, as does every other division of my Department. Overall, they have drafted seven answers to parliamentary questions in the past 12 months.
	This is broken down by hon. Member as follows.
	
		
			   Number 
			 The hon. Member for Upper Bann 3 
			 The hon. Member for East Londonderry 1 
			 The hon. Member for South Down 3 
		
	
	A parliamentary question is drafted by the BIIS when the subject of the question is regarding the interface between the Government and the Irish Government on Northern Ireland matters. This is the purpose of the BIIS.

Parliamentary Questions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what  (a) guidance he has issued to his Department and  (b) procedures are followed with regard to the processing of parliamentary (i) questions and (ii) draft answers on Northern Ireland matters tabled by (A) hon. Members for Northern Ireland constituencies and (B) hon. Members for constituencies in Great Britain.

Peter Hain: My parliamentary clerk and his staff have lead responsibility for advising officials dealing with parliamentary questions. Furthermore, each division within the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has a nominated parliamentary questions co-ordinator who has been fully instructed by parliamentary section in procedures relating to parliamentary questions. Guidance produced by Cabinet Office has been placed on the NIO intranet and is available to all staff.
	When dealing with parliamentary questions, my officials do not differentiate between hon. Members from Northern Ireland and those from Great Britain.

Pensioners

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of pensioners in Northern Ireland live alone.

David Hanson: In the 2001 Census there were 261,511 people of pension age (aged 65 or more for males, aged 60 or more for females) in Northern Ireland, of whom 80,486 (31 percent.) lived in single-person households.

Pensioners

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pensioners in Northern Ireland were re-admitted to hospital as an emergency in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: Information on re-admissions is not currently available.
	The reliable identification of individuals who have been re-admitted to hospital as an emergency is not currently feasible due to the lack of a unique patient identifier to facilitate data matching.
	The introduction of the 'Health and Care number' which will allow each patient to be uniquely identified will greatly assist in the production of this type of information in the future.

Pensioners

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland aged  (a) 65 to 74 and  (b) over 75 years participated in (i) publicly funded learning and (ii) volunteering in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The following table details the number of enrolments of those aged 65 and over on learning courses funded by the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland for the period 2000-01 to 2004-05 (latest available data).
	
		
			   Aged 65-74  Aged 75+  Total 
			 2000-01 12,901 5,653 18,554 
			 2001-02 12,412 6,556 18,968 
			 2002-03 12,772 6,174 18,946 
			 2003-04 13,073 5,825 18,898 
			 2004-05 13,606 6,027 19,633 
			  Source: HESA; FESR 
		
	
	The information is not available in the format requested but the following tables provide information on volunteers aged 60 years and over. Every five years the Department for Social Development (DSD) commissions an omnibus survey, to provide information on the nature and extent of volunteering in Northern Ireland. Figures from the 2001 survey, based on a representative sample, are provided below. The next survey will take place in September 2006.
	
		
			   Formal volunteering 
			 Survey sample size 1,312 
			 Percentage of overall survey 35 
			 Total estimated number of formal volunteers 448,116 
			   
			  Age 65 and older  
			 Number 62,736 
			 Percentage 14 
		
	
	The following tables give information on volunteers supported through the Department for Social Development Volunteering Development Programmes.
	 Community Volunteering Scheme (Grant Programme)
	Figures are only available for aged over 50.
	
		
			   Total new volunteers  Volunteers aged over 50 
			 2001-02 899 184 
			 2002-03 1,028 134 
			 2003-04 1,547 217 
			 2004-05 1,356 163 
			 2005-06 (1) (1) 
			 (1) Figures not yet available. 
		
	
	 Active Communities Initiative (2001-04)
	
		
			   Number/percentage 
			 Total volunteers recruited 3,673 
			   
			  Volunteers aged 50 years and over  
			 Number 429 
			 Percentage 11.7 
			  Source: Evaluation of the Active Communities Initiative 2001-04 CENI 2005 
		
	
	 Volunteer Bureaux Initiative
	Due to reorganisation no figures are available from the 15 Volunteer Bureaux until 2002-03. Age of volunteers is recorded in bands. The band is for '60 years and over'.
	
		
			   Volunteers  Volunteers aged over 60 years 
			 2002-03 6,751 675 
			 2003-04 8,674 694 
			 2004-05 10,091 1,312 
			 2005-06 (1) (1) 
			 (1) Not available yet

Plagiocephaly

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of children in the Province who have plagiocephaly.

Paul Goggins: The number of children in the Province with plagiocephaly is not known.
	However it is possible to provide the number of children admitted to hospital with a primary or secondary diagnosis of plagiocephaly. Data have been provided for the last three years.
	
		
			  Number of admissions( 1)  to a hospital in Northern Ireland for children( 2)  with a primary or secondary diagnosis of plagiocephaly( 3)  for the years 2002-03 to 2004-05 
			   Number 
			 2002-03 26 
			 2003-04 28 
			 2004-05 34 
			 (1) Deaths and Discharges are used as an approximation for admissions. (2) Children have been defined as under 16. (3) Plagiocephaly has been defined using ICD10 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision) code Q67.3.  Source:  Hospital Inpatients System.

Population Growth Rates

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is  (a) of the population growth rate for Northern Ireland and  (b) of the total population in Northern Ireland for (i) 2011, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2031.

David Hanson: The following table gives the 2005 estimate of the Northern Ireland resident population, and the observed average annual rate of population growth since 2001. The table also shows population projections for the years 2011, 2021, and 2031 and the projected average annual growth rate in population for each time period.
	
		
			  Population  Northern Ireland population  Average annual growth rate in time period (Percentage) 
			 2005(1) 1,724,400 0.5 (2001-05) 
			 2011(2) 1,767,500 0.4 (2005-11) 
			 2021(2) 1,830,000 0.3 (2011-21) 
			 2031(2) 1,860,200 0.2 (2021-31) 
			 (1) Estimate (2) Projection

Private Rented Accommodation

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action his Department is taking to increase the  (a) availability and  (b) affordability of accommodation in the private rented sector in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Department for Social Development and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive published their joint strategy for the private rented sector entitled Renting PrivatelyA Strategic Framework in May 2004. The overall aim of the strategy is to promote and sustain a healthy private rented sector, which offers choice and flexibility by influencing supply and securing a better quality, managed sector.
	The first stage of the strategy was to introduce new legislation to address inequities in the private rented sector and target unfitness. The Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order was made on 7 June 2006 and will be operative in early 2007.
	The desired outcome of the strategy is to ensure more effective alignment of the private rented sector with demand and to realise the potential for the sector to assist in meeting housing need. The action points and activities to achieve this objective, by increasing awareness of and improving access to the sector, are being carried out and monitored by the Department and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in partnership.
	As private rented sector stock increases it should follow that rents will decrease as landlords keep rents affordable to attract tenants who would now have more properties to choose from.
	In addition to the actions detailed in the strategy help is available with the payment of rent in the private rented sector to those on low incomes through the housing benefit system which is administered by the Housing Executive.

Pupil Statistics

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children whose country of origin is outside Northern Ireland and whose first language is other than English are enrolled in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in each education and library board area, broken down by country of origin.

Maria Eagle: Information relating to children whose country of origin is outside Northern Ireland is not collected. The figures available relate to the first language of children who were born in a non-English speaking country and for whom English is not their first language.
	
		
			  Pupils with English as an additional language and born in a non-English speaking country at primary and post primary schools in Northern Ireland 2005-06 
			   Belfast  Western  North Eastern  South Eastern  Southern  NI Total 
			  Primary Schools   
			 Cantonese 32 8 36 51 11 138 
			 Mandarin (1) (1) 6 (1) (1) 12 
			 Vietnamese (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Hindi (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) 13 
			 Urdu (1) (1) (1) 9 16 30 
			 Gujarati (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Bengali 9 (1) (1) 14 (1) 26 
			 Punjabi (1) (1) 11 (1) 5 25 
			 Others 30 8 25 46 17 126 
			 Total 77 29 85 130 54 375 
			
			  Post Primary Schools   
			 Cantonese 22 (1) 16 (2) 13 66 
			 Mandarin (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) 6 
			 Hindi 5 (1) 5 (1) (1) 10 
			 Urdu (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) 8 
			 Bengali 8 (1) (1) (1) (1) 12 
			 Punjabi (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) 5 
			 Others 29 18 15 15 43 120 
			 Total 67 20 46 31 63 227 
			 (1 )Relates to less than 5 pupils (2) Means figure has not been given under rules of disclosure  Notes: 1. Figures for primary schools include children in nursery, reception and Year 1Year 7 classes. 2. Pupils whose first language is Irish are not included.  Source: NI school census

Rates

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of householders are expected to pay  (a) more and  (b) less under the new rating system in Northern Ireland; and what the average (i) increase and (ii) decrease is expected to be.

David Hanson: The percentage of householders which are expected to pay more under the new rating system, compared to what they would have paid under the existing system, is 45 per cent., with 55 per cent. paying less. For those expected to pay more, the average increase is estimated at 166. The average decrease in bill for those paying less is estimated at 99.
	These figures have been arrived at through comparing actual rate bills under the current NAV system in 2006-07 with estimates of what rate bills would have been in 2006-07, had the new capital value based system been in place. Any change in rate bill highlighted is therefore due only to the impact of the revaluation.
	None of the estimates take into account those households which may qualify for housing benefit or the new rate relief scheme. They also ignore the impact of the transitional relief scheme.

Road Safety

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many convictions there were for speeding in Northern Ireland in each year since 2000; and what the average penalty was in each year.

David Hanson: Figures have been provided for the calendar years 2000 to 2004. In each of these years the vast majority of those convicted of speeding offences were given a fine as the main disposal. Table 1, therefore, provides the total number convicted of speeding offences, the number fined and the average fine amount given in each year.
	It should be noted that, while penalty points or disqualification may also often be imposed by the courts for speeding offences in conjunction with a fine, current data systems are not designed to capture this additional detail.
	Data are collated on the principal offence rule, thus only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of persons convicted for speeding offences( 1) , number fined and the average amount of fine given 2000-04 
			   Number convicted  Number given fine  Average amount of fine( 2)  () 
			 2000 3,847 3,801 84 
			 2001 3,769 3,727 84 
			 2002 3,336 3,310 87 
			 2003 3,191 3,166 90 
			 2004 3,248 n/a n/a 
			 (1) Includes convictions for the offences of 'excess speed', 'exceeding special speed limit', ''L' driver exceeding 45 mph', ''R' driver exceeding 45 mph'. (2) The amount of fine has been rounded to the nearest . Sentencing data for 2004 is not yet available.

Roads Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answer of 9 May 2006,  Official Report, column 1057W, on Roads Service, what action will be taken to ensure that a strategic route will be provided from South Down to the Belfast/Dublin Corridor as part of the three month comprehensive review of the Regional Development Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The acting Chief Executive of Roads Service (Mr. Geoff Allister) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Geoff Allister, dated 25 July 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what action will be taken to ensure that a strategic route will be provided from South Down to Belfast/Dublin Corridor as part of the three month comprehensive review of the Regional Development Strategy.
	As this issue falls within my responsibility as Acting Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
	You will be aware that the strategic transport links within Northern Ireland were confirmed when the Northern Ireland Assembly endorsed the Regional Development Strategy in 2001 and the Regional Transportation Strategy in 2002. Improvements to these strategic transport links are being taken forward through the Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan.
	The Department's Regional Planning and Transportation Division is carrying out a focused assessment of the Regional Development Strategy which will consider the need for any in-course adjustments to the Strategy. There are, however, no proposals to re-assess the strategic network.

School Closures

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) Catholic maintained and  (b) state controlled schools have closed over the last five years in each education and library board area; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: There have been 14 controlled school closures and six maintained school closures over the past five years.
	
		
			  Education and library board area  Controlled schools  Maintained schools 
			 Belfast 1 1 
			 North Eastern 6 2 
			 South Eastern 1 0 
			 Southern 3 1 
			 Western 3 2 
		
	
	In addition, 28 controlled schools have amalgamated into 13 new schools and 21 maintained schools have amalgamated into nine new schools over the past five years.
	
		
			  Education and library board area  Controlled schools  Maintained schools 
			 Belfast 2 into 1 3 into 1 
			 North Eastern 2 into 1 2 into 1 
			 South Eastern 7 into 3 2 into 1 
			 Southern 4 into 1 9 into 4 
			 Western 13 into 6 5 into 2

Science Teaching

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils started  (a) AS-levels and  (b) A-levels in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997; how many students chose science as an A or AS-level subject in Northern Ireland in each year; and how many undergraduate students at universities in Northern Ireland chose science or environmental studies as their main area of study in each year.

Maria Eagle: Information on the number of pupils who started AS-levels is not available. The remaining data are as follows:
	
		
			   School A2-level entries  School A2-level science entries  First year enrolments on undergraduate science or environmental studies courses 
			 1997-98 9,310 3,643 1,084 
			 1998-99 9,199 3,694 1,093 
			 1999-2000 8,962 3,794 990 
			 2000-01 9,172 3,879 979 
			 2001-02 9,280 3,907 1,184 
			 2002-03 9,726 3,883 1,330 
			 2003-04 10,382 4,209 1,293 
			 2004-05 10,919 4,173 1,431 
			  Notes: 1. GCE A-level only, not equivalent qualifications such as AVCEs. 2. A-level science denotes those pupils studying Physics, Chemistry and Biology. 3. Science or environmental studies courses at HE level include HESA subject groups Biological sciences and Physical sciences. HE Figures are based on a snapshot of enrolments at 1 December within the academic year.

Service Agreements

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate has been made of the number of service agreements and other funding arrangements between health and social services trusts and area boards and community and voluntary sector service providers; what range of services is covered in such agreements; and what assessment he has made of the implications for such agreements of the Review of Public Administration.

Paul Goggins: It is estimated that HSS Boards have 292 and HSS Trusts have 997 service agreements with the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland. The agreements provide for a wide range of services for older people, services for people with physically and mentally disabilities, services for children, services for Travellers and Health Promotion.
	In addition, some trusts provide grant aid for such groups where circumstances do not warrant a formal service agreement.
	The detailed implications of the Review of Public Administration, as they impact on the community and voluntary sector, are still being worked out. It is envisaged, however, that the new planning and commissioning arrangements will present the sector with additional opportunities for engagement in the delivery of services. In the meantime, the current arrangements for contracting services from the voluntary sector will continue until the new structural arrangements are fully in place.

Single Equality Bill

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2006,  Official Report, column 392W, on the Single Equality Bill, what progress has been made with the Bill.

David Hanson: We are working on proposals for a Single Equality Bill and will publish these in the autumn.

Statutory Investment Board

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what the remit is of the Statutory Investment Board; and which projects the board is working on;
	(2)  who the members are of the Strategic Investment Board; by whom they are appointed; and for how long they are appointed.

David Hanson: The information is as follows.
	1. The remit of the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) is:
	(a) to provide advice to the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to the formulation and implementation of its programme of major investment projects;
	(b) to provide advice and assistance including research, consultancy, advisory and other services to public bodies in relation to the carrying out of their investment projects;
	(c) to advise on the planning and prioritisation of programmes and projects together with the funding and the general implementation of projects.
	2. The SIB is currently working on a number of projects and I have placed a copy of these in the Library of the House.
	3. The Minister with responsibility for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister appointed Members to the SIB. Current membership is as follows:
	Tony Watson, ChairmanChairman re-appointed from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009
	Nigel Hamilton, re-appointed from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007
	Greg Sparks, re-appointed from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007
	James Stewart, re-appointed from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2009
	David Dobbin, appointed 1 October 2005 to 30 September 2008
	David Gavaghan, appointed 21 July 2004
	Brett Hannam, appointed 11 January 2006
	All the re-appointed directors had previously served from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2006. David Gavaghan and Brett Hannam are executive officers of the Strategic Investment Board.

Students

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to encourage women students in Northern Ireland to undertake science and engineering studies at university.

Maria Eagle: WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) is a UK wide organisation aimed at attracting more females into SET (Science and Engineering Technology). In Northern Ireland representatives from industry, academia and government meet to plan WISE activities. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment are represented and in 2005, Invest NI provided 5,000 sponsorship for production of a WISE DVD to encourage more young females to consider careers hi SET. The DVD was successfully piloted in October 2005 and is being distributed to schools.
	WISE also has a website in Northern Ireland which was partly funded by the Industrial Research and Technology Unit (IRTU), which is now subsumed in Invest NI, and produces a series of publications aimed at encouraging girls from an early stage to develop an interest in science and engineering.
	Other activities include; an initiative to encourage women who have left SET to return to employment; the Science and Engineering Ambassadors Scheme, and a Science and Engineering day for girls at W5. Of the 14 events delivering during Innovation Week, one event was aimed specifically at women called 'Women Making Innovation Work' where local and national role models were utilised to encourage women in Engineering, Science and Technology field to become more entrepreneurial.

Students

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students with a learning disability within each of Northern Ireland's hospital trust areas will  (a) transfer at age 19 years in the current academic year from Education Service responsibility to Health and Social Service responsibility and  (b) will be offered full adult day care provision by the Department of Health and Social Services as befits their needs; what processes exist within the Department of Health and Social Services to ensure adequate forward planning to meet the needs of those clients in transition from the education sector; and if he will make a statement on the level of provision for such clients within the health and social services sector.

Paul Goggins: pursuant to the reply, 10 July 2006, Official Report, c. 1505
	I am now in a position to provide the information requested.
	The information required to answer parts A and B of this question is given in tabular form.
	
		
			  Trust  Numbers transferring  Full adult day care 
			 Armagh Dungannon 13 9 
			 Causeway 11 7 
			 Craigavon Banbridge 16 7 
			 Down Lisburn 11 3 
			 Foyle 28 28 
			 Homefirst 23 21 
			 North and West Belfast 11 6 
			 Newry and Mourne 23 4 
			 South and East Belfast 11 8 
			 Sperrin Lakeland 10 10 
			 Ulster Community 6 6 
			 Total 163 109 
		
	
	The Boards determine the needs of their population and allocate resources to meet these needs. Day-Care Services provided through the Health and Social Services Boards and Trusts are for those individuals who will be unable to access services provided elsewhere. Additional investment in Day-Care will continue to be made for those who do not have access to any other form of provision, such as further education, skills training or employment.

SureStart

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated to Surestart schemes in the Foyle constituency in each of the last five years, broken down by District Electoral Area; and how much investment is planned over the next three years, broken down by District Electoral Area.

Paul Goggins: The following table shows the allocation of SureStart funding to Projects in the Foyle area since 2001. The table shows the actual expenditure by the projects except for the current year when the Budget Allocation is based on each project's business plan. The information is not held at District Electoral Area.
	
		
			  Sure Start allocations to projects in the Foyle area for the years 2001-02 to 2006-07 
			   
			   Creevagh/Springtown  Dungiven  Strabane  Shantallow  Total 
			 2001-02 170,686.00 177,211.00 283,374.00 97,583.00 728,854.00 
			 2002-03 365,835.55 372,013.50 344,349.69 263,887.00 1,346,085.74 
			 2003-04 335,396.05 335,002.76 369,900.76 327,337.28 1,367,636.85 
			 2004-05 282,540.00 291,059.00 375,362.00 334,466.00 1,283,427.00 
			 2005-06 288,917.00 296,859.00 385,384.00 340,369.00 1,311,529.00 
			 2006-07 297,585.00 306,440.00 396,949.00 352,732.00 1,353,706.00 
		
	
	During the next three years, this level of investment is expected to continue in relation to the Wards already covered by these projects.
	Funding has been made available from the Children and Young People's Funding Package announced in March 2006 to support the expansion of SureStart into Wards in the top 20 per cent. Multiple Deprivation ranking which do not currently receive SureStart services. The Western Childcare Partnership has been provisionally allocated 1.28 million per year from 1 April 2007 for the expansion of SureStart into the 27 identified Wards in the Western Board area. Funding is available in this financial year to progress expansions, where possible, through existing projects and to begin the establishment of new projects which should become operational by 1 April 2007.

Sustainable Development

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what strategies for sustainable development the Northern Ireland Office has in place.

Peter Hain: The Northern Ireland Office is working alongside the Northern Ireland Departments in developing strategies for Sustainable Development and will have the same targets to achieve. I made a speech on this explaining my overall strategy in Belfast on 9 May, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
	At present the department is making a contribution to Sustainable Development on a number of fronts, including reducing waste to landfill through recycling schemes, contributing to the government carbon offsetting fund (GCOF) to make official air travel carbon neutral, purchasing electricity from renewable sources, replacement of oil/electric heating systems with gas, use of recycled paper, development of plans for use of energy from renewable sources at Hillsborough Castle, installation of a combined heat and power system at Stormont House.

Translated Documents

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many documents have been translated by the bilingual translation services in the Departments of  (a) Education and  (b) Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and if he will list the languages for which translation services are provided.

Maria Eagle: The translation of any documents is provided for Northern Ireland Government Departments by the translation services unit in the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure. Translations can be provided in any language. Details of the number of documents translated for the Department of Education and Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in each of the last five years are provided in the following tables.
	Production of documents in British sign language and Irish sign language is responsive to demand within the confines of budget.
	
		
			  Table 1: The Department of Education 
			   2001-02( 1)  2002-03( 2)  2003-04( 3)  2004-05( 4)  2005-06( 5) 
			 DE total 194 193 78 103 104 
			  Of which:  
			 Irish 192 191 71 99 74 
			 Ulster-Scots 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Other 2 2 6 4 30 
			 (1) Two x Cantonese. (2) One each for Cantonese and Portuguese. (3) One each for Urdu, Cantonese, Portuguese, Arabic, Bengali and French. (4 )French, German, two x Portuguese. (5 )Three x Spanish, four x French, six x Portuguese, four x Lithuanian, two x Hungarian, two x German, Ukrainian, Danish, Afrikaans, Latin, Italian, Bulgarian, Filipino and Russian. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05( 1)  2005-06( 2) 
			 DHSSPS total 184 189 148 92 161 
			  Of which:  
			 Irish 176 182 146 83 150 
			 Ulster-Scots 2 0 0 1 1 
			 Other 6 7 2 8 10 
			   
			 (1) Three x Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tatum, Urdu, Polish. (2) Three x Cantonese, two x Polish, Lithuanian, Hindu, Russian, Mandarin, Portuguese. 
		
	
	An analysis of other figures for 2001-04 is not available from the Department concerned.
	Table 2 does not include figures on the number of letters translated to and from the public. This information is unavailable from the Department.

Travel Assistance

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance is available to  (a) patients who have to travel outside Northern Ireland for NHS treatment and  (b) their relatives.

Paul Goggins: Patients who have to travel outside Northern Ireland for treatment are entitled to receive financial assistance from their local health board for all costs associated with the medical treatment, including any related travel and accommodation costs incurred during the hospital stay.
	In addition, health boards will cover the cost of relevant travel and accommodation for one named adult for the duration of the patient's stay in hospital. In the event that the patient develops post-operative complications that necessitate a prolonged hospital stay, additional costs for laundry and interim return trips home may be permitted.
	In exceptional circumstances, on application to the health board, limited costs for additional family members may be met, e.g. where a patient experiences serious post-operative complications or for the second parent of a paediatric patient.

Twelfth Celebrations

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) Republicans and  (b) Loyalists have been arrested and charged with street disturbances in connection with the recent Twelfth Celebrations; how many such arrests and charges there were in (i) 2003, (ii) 2004 and (iii) 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The information requested in relation to the number of Republicans and Loyalists arrested and charged during the Twelfth Celebrations would require a manual trawl of police records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In addition, it would be impossible to confirm whether each arrest made was directly connected to those celebrations.

Workplace 2010

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what  (a) discussions he has had and  (b) decisions he has made on expanding Workplace 2010 to involve other public service and local government premises whose future use could be affected by the Review of Public Administration.

David Hanson: There have been no decisions taken to expand Workplace 2010 to include the wider public sector estate. Preparatory work for the implementation of the Review of Public Administration is, however, well under way including considering the impact on central and local government assets. The Workplace 2010 programme team is involved in this work and will give due consideration to the outcome in determining the way forward.

Workplace 2010

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which premises will be involved in Workplace 2010; and how many jobs in each location he estimates will transfer from the civil service to the facilities manager or landlord, broken down by category.

David Hanson: It is proposed that 76 properties be included in the Workplace 2010 contract details which are outlined in the following table. It is expected that a range of property and services related functions could transfer to the private sector partner. However, final decisions will not be taken until later and the implications for the staff working in these jobs are still being considered in full consultation with trade union representatives.
	
		
			  Workplace 2010 Buildings 
			   Address 
			 Adelaide House 39-49 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8FD 
			 Castle Court 42 Royal Avenue, Belfast, BT1 1DF 
			 Causeway Exchange 1-7 Bedford Street, Belfast, BT1 7FB 
			 Centre House 69-85 Chichester Street and 133-159 Victoria Street, Belfast, BT1 4JE 
			 Clare House 303 Airport Road West, Belfast, BT3 9ED 
			 Clarence Court 10-18 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8GB 
			 The Design Centre 39 Corporation Street, Belfast, BT1 3BA 
			 Ferguson/Royston House 13 Wellington Place, Belfast, BT1 6GB 
			 Goodwood House 44-58 May Street, Belfast, BT1 4NN 
			 Hydebank 4 Hospital Road, Belfast, BT8 8JL 
			 Interpoint 18 York Street, Belfast, BT15 1AQ 
			 James House 2 Cromac Avenue, Belfast, BT7 2JA 
			 Klondyke Cromac Avenue, Gasworks Business Park, Belfast, BT7 2JA 
			 Lesley Exchange 1 May's Meadow, Belfast, BT1 3PH 
			 The Lighthouse 1 Cromac Place, Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 2JB 
			 Lincoln Building 27 - 45 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7SL 
			 Millennium House 17-25 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7BN 
			 River House 48 High Street, Belfast, BT1 2AW 
			 Waterfront Plaza 1st Floor, 8 Laganbank Road, Belfast, BT1 8LX 
			 Windsor House 9-15 Bedford Street, Belfast, BT2 7UE 
			 Castle Buildings Stormont Estate, 658 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SJ 
			 Castle Buildings (Annexes) Stormont Estate, 658 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SJ 
			 Dundonald House Stormont Estate, 672 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB 
			 Dundonald House (Annexe A) Stormont Estate, 672 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB 
			 Dundonald House (Annexe B) Stormont Estate, 672 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB 
			 Dundonald House (Annexe C) Stormont Estate, 672 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB 
			 Dundonald House (Annexe D) Stormont Estate, 672 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SB 
			 Hillview Buildings Stormont Estate, 672 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SG 
			 Knockview Buildings Stormont Estate, 672 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SG 
			 Massey House Stormont Estate, 666 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3SX 
			 Netherleigh 1 Massey Avenue, Belfast, BT4 2JP 
			 Rosepark House 711-715 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3NR 
			 Rathgael House (new) 43 Balloo Road, Bangor, County Down, BT19 7PR 
			 Rathgael House (old) 43 Balloo Road, Bangor, County Down, BT19 7PR 
			 Ballymena County Hall 182 Galgorm Road, Ballymena, County Antrim, BT42 1QG 
			 Carlisle House 20A Carlisle Road, Londonderry, BT48 6RE 
			 Coleraine County Hall 7 Castlerock Road, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT51 3HS 
			 Marlborough House 2 Central Way, Craigavon, County Armagh, BT64 1AD 
			 Orchard House 40 Foyle Street, Londonderry, BT48 6AT 
			 Rathkeltair House 87 Market Street, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 6AJ 
			 Waterside House 75 Duke Street, Londonderry, BT47 IFP 
			 Anderstonstown SSO 35-37 Slieveban Drive, Belfast, BTll 8HL 
			 Bangor SSO 110 Hamilton Road, Bangor, County Down, BT20 4LJ 
			 Corporation Street SSO 24-42 Corporation Street, Belfast, BT1 3DR 
			 Falls Road JBO 19 Falls Road, Belfast, BT2 4PH 
			 Holywood Road JBO 106-108 Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 1JU 
			 Knockbreda Road JBO 210 Upper Knockbreda Road, Belfast, BT8 6SX 
			 Newtownabbey JBO 39 Church Road, Newtownabbey, County Antrim, BT36 7LB 
			 Shaftesbury Square JBO Conor Buildings, 107-111 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7AG 
			 Shankill JBO 15-25 Snugville Street, Belfast, BT13 1PP 
			 Antrim JBO 90 Castle Street, Antrim, BT41 4JE 
			 Armagh JBO 10 Alexander Road, Armagh, BT61 7JL 
			 Ballymena SSO Twickenham House, 59-71 Mount Street, Belfast, BT43 6BT 
			 Ballymoney JBO 37-47 John Street, Ballymoney, County Antrim, BT53 6DT 
			 Ballynahinch SSO 18 Crossgar Road, Ballynahinch, County Down, BT24 8XP 
			 Banbridge JBO 18 Castlewellan Road, Banbridge, County Down, BT32 4AZ 
			 Carrickfergus JBO 1 Davys Street, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, BT38 8DJ 
			 Coleraine JBO 8 Artillery Road, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT52 2AA 
			 Cookstown SSO 38-40 Fairhill Road, Cookstown, County Tyrone, BT80 8AG 
			 Downpatrick SSO 9-11 Mount Crescent, Downpatrick, County Down, BT30 6AU 
			 Dungannon JBO 36 Thomas Street, Dungannon, County Tyrone, BT70 1EN 
			 Enniskillen JBO 14 Queen Elizabeth Road, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, BT74 7JD 
			 Foyle JBO 14 Asylum Road, Londonderry, BT48 7EA 
			 Kikeel JBO 58 Newry Street, Kilkeel, County Down, BT34 4DR 
			 Larne JBO 59 Pound Street, Larne, County Antrim, BT40 1SB 
			 Limavady JBO 9 Connell Street, Limavady, County Londonderry, BT49 0TZ 
			 Lisburn JBO 69-71 Bow Street, Lisburn, County Antrim, BT28 1BB 
			 Lisnagelvin JBO 2 Crescent Road, Lisnagelvin, Londonderry, BT47 2NJ 
			 Lurgan JBO 10 Alexandra Crescent, Lurgan, County Armagh, BT66 6BD 
			 Magherafelt JBO 31 Station Road, Magherafelt, County Londonderry, BT45 5DJ 
			 Newcastle SSO 2 Beverley Gardens, Valentia Place, Newcastle, County Down, BT33 0EH 
			 Newry JBO 40 Bridge Street, Newry, County Down, BT35 8AJ 
			 Newtownards SSO 8 East Street, Newtownards, County Down, BT23 3EL 
			 Omagh JBO 19 Mountjoy Road, Omagh, County Tyrone, BT79 7BB 
			 Portadown JBO 84-140 Jervis Street, Portadown, County Armagh, BT62 3DA 
			 Strabane SSO 104 Urney Road, Strabane, County Tyrone, BT82 9BX

Workplace 2010

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what flexibility is available for bidders under Workplace 2010 to provide alternative locations for civil service employment.

David Hanson: The geographical location of civil service employment is not a matter for bidders and as such they will not be invited to provide alternative locations. They will, however, be required to provide flexibility within the terms of the contract to respond quickly and efficiently in the event of future decisions on the location of civil service jobs.

Workplace 2010

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the potential for decentralising Civil Service employment under the Government's plans for Workplace 2010.

David Hanson: The potential for the decentralisation of civil service jobs has been a key consideration in the development of Workplace 2010. The programme is therefore being progressed on a phased basis. This will ensure that there is sufficient scope and flexibility to relocate civil service jobs within the terms of the contract and as part of a second phase as and when decisions are made.

Young Farmers

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the  (a) Scottish Executive and  (b) Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have contacted him regarding the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland's New Entrant Scheme for young farmers.

David Cairns: There have been no formal approaches from either the Scottish Executive or the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since the New Entrant Scheme was introduced. However there is regular contact among officials in the rural affairs departments across the UK. The scheme and a wide range of other topics on rural development have been covered in these discussions.

Young Farmers

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the New Entrant Scheme for young farmers.

David Cairns: Since the launch of the scheme on Monday 6 June 2005, there has been considerable interest from potential applicants. Up to the end of June 2006, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development received 139 applications, which exceeds the first year target. Records show that over half of approved applicants accessed the maximum amount of funding allowed under the scheme. The value of individual projects ranges from 20,000 to 400,000. A total of 4.5 million has been allocated to the scheme.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the Government are taking to encourage and expand the number and variety of classes available to adults in non-examination and non-vocational courses in further education.

Bill Rammell: We are broadly maintaining the overall funding available to support adult learning through to 2007-08 at around 2.9 billion. As I announced last October we have clear priorities for public finding of adult learning. These are to help those without basic literacy and numeracy skills and without the platform of employability represented by a full level 2 qualification. This includes courses which genuinely lead to progression including non vocational and non examination courses. For this reason the then Secretary of State said in her Grant letter to the LSC in October 2005 that she wanted to see a good balance of learning opportunities in every area.
	In addition we remain committed to supporting for its own intrinsic value. We have established a safeguard budget of 210 million per annum in each of 2006-07 and 2007-08 for learning for personal and community development. We have asked the LSC to convene local partnerships to plan and co-ordinate this provision so that i) there is a wide range of such good quality learning opportunities in every area ii) there is wider participation in this type of learning and iii) areas of deprivation do not lose out.

Assaults on School Staff

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many assaults on school staff were recorded in East Riding of Yorkshire local education authority in each of the last nine years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The number of assaults on school staff is not collected centrally.
	For the academic years 2003/04 and 2004/05, information is available on the reasons for pupil exclusions. These reasons include physical assault against an adult. A local authority breakdown for East Riding of Yorkshire of the number of pupils who have been excluded from school (permanently or for a fixed period) for physical assault against an adult, together with total numbers of exclusions, is given in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary and special schools( 1, 2) . Permanent and fixed period exclusions for physical assault against an adult( 3)  and total number of exclusions (all reasons): Numbers and rates per thousand pupils 2003/04 to 2004/05 
			  East Riding of Yorkshire  2004/05  2003/04 
			  Permanent exclusions   
			 Number of pupils on roll(4) 50,036 50,618 
			 Exclusions for physical assault against an adult 6 3 
			 Exclusions per 1,000 pupils(5) 0.1 0.1 
			 Total number of exclusions (all reasons) 30 68 
			 Total exclusions per 1,000 pupils(5) 0.6 1.3 
			
			  Fixed period exclusions   
			 Number of pupils on roll(4) 50,036 50,618 
			 Exclusions for physical assault against an adult 100 71 
			 Exclusions per 1,000 pupils(5) 2.0 1.4 
			 Total number of exclusions (all reasons) 2,550 2,796 
			 Total exclusions per 1,000 pupils(5) 51.0 55.2 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2) Includes maintained special schools, excludes non-maintained special schools.  (3) The distribution of exclusions by reason has been derived from the Termly Exclusions survey and applied to the number of permanent exclusions as confirmed by LEAs as part of the schools census checking exercise.  (4) The number (headcount) of all pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) in January 2004 and January 2005.  (5) The number of exclusions in 2003/04 and 2004/05 divided by how many thousands of pupils were on roll in January 2004 and January 2005.

Background Reading

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what publications have been provided by his civil servants as background reading for his ministerial duties since taking office; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: On taking up my current ministerial post I received background reading material on the policy areas of my Department. I continue to receive reading material on all policy areas as appropriate.

Building Schools for the Future

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools will (i) start construction and (ii) be completed in each of the next three financial years under the Building Schools for the Future programme; and what proportion of those schools will be (A) new build and (B) refurbished or remodelled.

Jim Knight: Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a core part of the DfES' capital strategy, providing a new approach to capital investment in secondary schools.
	BSF aims to create world-class, 21st-century schoolsenvironments which will inspire learning for decades to come and provide exceptional assets for the whole community. Subject to future public spending decisions, the intention is to achieve this aim for every secondary school pupil within 15 waves from 2005-06.
	In financial year 2007/08, 13 new schools will open, of which two will be refurbished, and a further 118 will start construction.
	In financial year 2008/09, 34 new schools will open, of which 24 will be refurbished, and a further 200 will start construction.
	In financial year 2009/10, 52 new schools will open, of which 93 will be refurbished, and a further 164 will start construction.
	The figures for 2009/10 are indicative as this includes Wave 4 projects which will not be selected until December 2006, and certain Wave 2-3 projects where authorities have not yet finalised their plans.
	Primary schools are not covered under the BSF programme. A separate Primaries programme will commence in 2008.

Certificate of Financial Skills

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have completed the Certificate of Financial Skills in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not available.

Certificate of Financial Skills

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what factors were taken into account by the Learning and Skills Council in its decision not to fund the Certificate of Financial Skills.

Bill Rammell: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) determines which qualifications are eligible for funding in school sixth forms. Certificates in Financial Studies have not previously been eligible for LSC funding in school sixth forms and that decision was continued for 2006-07. The LSC may determine that a qualification is ineligible if it is a subsidiary qualification to a main programme, as funding of the main programme would be expected to cover subsidiary qualifications. Funding is also not available for qualifications that are regarded as being part of a pupil's entitlementsuch as Key Skills or CLAIT. The LSC provides per pupil entitlement funding for 16-19 year-olds that can be used for such courses.
	The LSC reviews the eligibility of qualifications on a yearly basis and they have recently met with the Institute of Financial Studies to explain the position for 2006-07 and consider the arrangements for 2007-08.

Child Abuse

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the percentage of abuse of children in the home which is committed by  (a) men and  (b) women; and what assessment has been made of the extent to which such abuse involves (i) a step-parent and (ii) someone in a transient relationship with the child.

Beverley Hughes: The information required for such an estimate is not collected centrally.

Child Deaths

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what public inquiries into the deaths of children in educational establishments have taken place in the past 30 years.

Jim Knight: The Department for Education and Skills has established no public inquiries into child deaths in educational establishments in England since 1976, nor into child deaths in childcare settings in England, which became the responsibility of the Department for Education and Skills in 2002. The Department does, however, provide joint guidance for serious case reviews, which should be held, at local level, where a child has died and abuse or neglect may have been a factor in the child's death.

Children's Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how he plans to collect data on performance against national targets for  (a) eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and  (b) take-up of sporting opportunities by five to 16-year-olds.

Parmjit Dhanda: The 5 A DAY Programme does not set specific targets for different population groups. The aim of the programme is to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among the population as a whole, and promote awareness of the 5 A DAY message within a range of settings including schools.
	The FSA Consumer Attitudes Survey 2005 showed that 67 per cent. of people are now aware that they should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, up from 43 per cent. in 2000. Our new nutritional standards for school food will also encourage the consumption of fruit and vegetables by our children as these state that at lunch time, there should be at least one portion of fruit and at least one portion of vegetables per child per day, and that at other times of the day a variety of fruit and vegetables should be available in all school food outlets.
	The annual school sport surveycarried out on the Department's behalf by an independent market research companycollects data on the take of physical education and school sport by 5 to 16-year-olds in school within a school sport partnership.

Citizenship Education

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what analysis he is making of the effects of the introduction of citizenship education into the National curriculum.

Jim Knight: The Department commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research in 2001 to carry out an eight year longitudinal study of the impact of citizenship education on young people. The aims of the study also include identifying, measuring and evaluating the extent to which effective practice in citizenship education develops in schools so that such practice can be promoted widely. The Foundation publishes annual reports tracking the progress of the subject. In addition, citizenship is also covered alongside other subjects in Ofsted inspections.

Classroom Temperature

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what discusssions his Department has had with the Health and Safety Executive on minimum and maximum temperatures on school buses;
	(2)  what discusssions his Department has had with the Health and Safety Executive in the past 12 months on minimum and maximum temperatures within  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school classrooms.

Jim Knight: Minimum temperatures for classrooms are given in the Education (School Premises) Regulations, SI No2,1999 as 18C. My Department has had no discussions with HSE but has recently issued guidance about maximum and minimum temperatures in classrooms on the popular questions website(1). There are also Regulations applying to staff employed at the school, known as The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Regulation (1) states: During working hours, the temperature in all workplaces inside buildings shall be reasonable. The guidance and Approved Code of Practice accompanying the Workplace Regulations do not specify maximum temperatures. This is because there are a range of factors which contribute to a person's thermal comfort and more vulnerable people can suffer heat stress and dehydration at much lower temperatures than others.
	The Department of Health publishes the Heatwave Plan that provides guidance and advice aimed at the public and ensures those organisations involved in providing health and social care services know what actions to take in preparation for, and in the event of, a heat wave. The Met Office website publishes the latest heat wave alert and forecast threshold temperatures for days ahead. There are certain groups that are particularly at risk during a heat wave and this includes young children especially those less than four years old.
	The Department is not aware of any minimum or maximum temperatures that apply to school buses and have had no discussions with HSE about that.
	I would also refer the hon. Member to the responses given today to her questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
	(1 )http://www.dfes.gov.uk/popularquestions/

Collective Worship in Schools

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have opted out of collective worship in schools in  (a) Surrey and  (b) England in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: We do not collect this information centrally.

Common Assessment Framework Submission

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how other practitioners will be prevented from accessing the restricted parts of the form where a parent or young person has given consent only for part at a common assessment framework submission to be shared; and how notice of a restriction will be signalled.

Beverley Hughes: A practitioner undertaking a common assessment should record on the common assessment framework (CAP) form the details of consent, or partial consent, that has been given to share information. It is the responsibility of the individual practitioner completing the common assessment to ensure that the information in it is not disclosed to those who should not see it. My Department has published standards for local IT systems to support CAP, which provide for practitioners to be prevented from accessing CAP information where consent has not been given.

Common Assessment Framework Submission

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what happens to the written submissions by agencies involved in children's services made under the common assessment framework.

Beverley Hughes: Where agencies contribute by written submission, the practitioner undertaking the common assessment may reflect the content of the submission in the common assessment, subject to the consent of the child, young person, parent or carer, as appropriate. The practitioner undertaking the common assessment may retain such submissions in his or her case files, subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act.

Common Assessment Framework Submission

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the paperwork produced when a practitioner carries out a Common Assessment Framework assessment on a child will be submitted direct to the Integrated Children's System.

Beverley Hughes: The Integrated Children's System (ICS) and the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) have been developed for different client groups, which overlap only to a limited extent. The ICS contains a record for children known to social services. Many children who have had an assessment using the CAF will not be known to social services, and common assessment information on these children will not be submitted to the ICS. Where, following a common assessment, a child requires the support of social services, the information from the common assessment may be submitted to the ICS where it is appropriate to do so.

Common Assessment Framework Submission

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures are followed when two or more practitioners want to share the contents of a Common Assessment Framework.

Beverley Hughes: Where a practitioner, in undertaking a common assessment, has obtained consent for the content to be shared with other practitioners, the appropriate consent will be recorded. How information will be shared may vary according to local circumstances and whether the Common Assessment Framework exists in paper form only or has been recorded on an IT system. However the information is shared, services and practitioners must ensure that information is kept securely and processed according to the provisions of the Data Protection Act. For local authorities who choose to set up local IT systems to support the Common Assessment Framework, my Department has published standards for such systems which provide for a practitioner to specify by name another practitioner who may then have access.
	The Department has also issued cross-Government guidance to help practitioners across children's services understand when and how they can share information legally and professionally.

Departmental Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people over the age of 55 years have been recruited into his Department in each of the last three years.

Parmjit Dhanda: pursuant to the reply, 5 July 2006, Official Report, c. 1225W
	The number of people over the age of 55 years who have been recruited into my Department in each of the last three years is:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004 6 
			 2005 12 
			 2006 to date 3 
		
	
	These replace the previous numbers given.

Life Expectancy

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps his Department is taking to tackle low life expectancy in areas of deprivation.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 20 July 2006
	This Department makes a significant contribution to reducing low life expectancy through our programmes for children, young people and their families.
	Every Child Matters: Change for Children requires all local authorities in England to establish children's trust arrangements with partners, including Primary Care Trusts and other health services.
	This approach ensures that children get the best possible start in life and that they will have the best possible opportunities to fulfil their potential in adulthood. Adults who live fulfilled, secure and stable lives contribute more to society, live healthier lives and are less likely to suffer from the illnesses associated with poverty and social exclusion and which reduce life expectancy.
	Although our aim is for all children to benefit from the universal services, we recognise that some children, including those in areas of deprivation, would risk having a lower life expectancy than they might unless there are services to meet their particular needs.
	This department is responsible for, or together with other departments makes a significant contribution to, initiatives which can reduce those risks:
	Support for parents and their parenting skills. Parents' life style is a key determinant of children's health, and children's centres provide support, including on health and lifestyle issues, to those parents who need it. The first 884 children's centres have been established serving many of our most disadvantaged communities;
	Eradicating child poverty: Children born into poverty have a lower life expectancy. Childcare, education and training and other high quality children's services are both helping parents into work and providing the opportunities to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty;
	Reducing pregnancies among under-18s: infant mortality rates are highest among babies born to young, single mothers;
	Implementing nutritional standards for all food in schools to promote healthy eating;
	Increasing the take up of physical education, sport and other physical activities at school, including increasing walking and cycling to and from school, to encourage healthy exercise;
	Promoting improvements in mental health and emotional well-being for children and young people, so that they are resilient and less likely to take risks or suffer that some poor outcomes;
	Tackling childhood obesity in the short-term, and measures to prevent overweight or obese children becoming obese adults: obesity is responsible for 9,000 premature deaths each year;
	Ensuring children and young people learn about the risks to their health from unsafe sexual activity, tobacco, alcohol and substance abuse, and how they can get help if they have problems.
	This Department has made health inequalities a mandatory target for local authorities in Local Area Agreements (LAAs).

Drugs Education

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what improvements have been made to drugs education in schools since the re-classification of cannabis.

Parmjit Dhanda: Following the re-classification of cannabis in January 2004 the Department issued comprehensive guidance to schools on drugs (Drugs: Guidance for Schools) which included a clear statement about the importance of educating young people about the legal status and harmful effects of cannabis. We have continued to expand the Personal, Social and Heath Education (PSHE) continuing professional development programme, which includes standards for the teaching of drug education. Over 5,000 teachers and community nurses have benefited from this programme. The numbers of schools involved in the Healthy Schools Programme, which requires schools to have a PSHE programme including drug education, continues to rise. We are on track to reach our target of half of all schools being healthy schools by the end of 2006. In conjunction with the Home Office and Department of Health we have concluded the implementation of the Blueprint drug education research programme and are now analysing the research findings. Blueprint was set up to evaluate an evidence-based multi-component programme of drug education at Key Stage 3. From September secondary schools will have access to a new resource. 'Understanding Drugs' provides information on a range of drugs, including cannabis, for pupils aged 11-14 and suggestions for teaching and learning activities within the classroom.

Early-leaver Students

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of students left  (a) university and  (b) Russell group universities before completion of their course in each of the last five years for which records are available;
	(2)  what average percentage of students left non-Russell group universities before completion of their course in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Bill Rammell: The information is provided by Table 5 of the Performance Indicators in Higher Education in the UK, published by HESA from 2002/03 and by HEFCE before that. This shows the percentage of full-time, first degree entrants projected to gain their degree, transfer to another course and to neither obtain their degree nor transfer. The latest available figures are shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Full-time first degree entrants expected to neither obtain an award nor transfer 
			  Number 
			  Courses starting in:  1999/2000  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04 
			 UK HE institutions 43,720 41,990 41,555 43,120 46,700 
			 Russell group institutions 4,380 4,130 3,955 4,370 4,890 
			 Non-Russell group institutions 39,340 37,860 37,600 38,750 41,810 
			  Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5 so components may not sum to totals.   Source: Performance indicators in higher education, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	
		
			  Full-time first degree entrants expected to neither obtain an award nor transfer 
			  Percentage 
			  Courses starting in:  2000/01  2001/02  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05 
			 UK HE institutions 15.9 15.0 14.1 14.4 14.9 
			 Russell group institutions 7.3 6.6 6.3 6.4 7.2 
			 Non-Russell group institutions 17.4 16.9 16.0 15.8 16.7 
			  Note: Percentages are rounded to the first decimal place.   Source: Performance indicators in higher education, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	According to figures published by the OECD, the overall completion rate in UK universities and colleges of higher education is among the highest in the OECD countries.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost of  (a) administrating and  (b) buying allocations for all universities included in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme was in its first year of operation.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Every Child Matters

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what organistional structures his Department supports in developing the proposals in Every Child Matters; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 24 July 2006
	The local delivery of Every Child Matters is driven by local authority Directors of Children's Services and Lead Members for Children's Services working closely with a range of partners through children's trust arrangements. These arrangements are underpinned by Section 10 of the Children Act 2004 which places the local authority and 'relevant partners' under a duty to cooperate to improve children's well-being in relation to the five Every Child Matters outcomes. Children and Young People's Plans set out the priorities for improvement, across all local services affecting children and young people, showing how and when they will be achieved. Support and challenge by central Government are mainly provided through the nine regional Government Offices.

Every Child Matters

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how he expects that local authorities will collect data linked to the five outcomes in Every Child Matters when assessing targets and public service agreements; and on what databases that information will be stored.

Beverley Hughes: Local authorities record data on their performance across the five outcomes through a number of collections that are returned to the DfES. A number of local authorities are now storing information about the five outcomes on children's service databases, and we expect this to become the norm as all local authorities adopt children's services structures. DfES accesses local authorities' children's services data via the internet.
	Some of the data collected relate to performance indicators for either an outcome (such as educational attainment) or for a service (for looked after children, for example). In turn, a subset of these performance indicators relate to PSA targets. The performance indicators are used to help form the annual judgment of children's services in the annual performance assessment. The APA dataset is sent to authorities by Ofsted and CSCI, who conduct the APA.

Examinations

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 16 year olds achieved five GCSE passes in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The following table shows the number of 15-year-old(1) pupils achieving five or more GCSEs or equivalents at grades A* to G in maintained schools in each year since 1997.
	(1) Pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year i.e. 31 August
	
		
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 City of London  
			 Camden 1,416 1,488 1,444 1,494 1,480 1,284 1,273 1,266 1,271 
			 Hackney 1,050 1,078 1,124 1,092 1,147 1,180 1,249 1,149 1,124 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 815 832 835 902 930 984 1,008 1,069 1,040 
			 Haringey 1,263 1,406 1,416 1,491 1,472 1,524 1,624 1,799 1,780 
			 Islington 1,054 1,085 1,139 1,075 1,073 1,088 1,108 1,197 1,169 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 478 455 497 490 544 521 524 520 512 
			 Lambeth 1,000 1,072 1,079 1,048 1,092 1,100 1,185 1,233 1,233 
			 Lewisham 1,632 1,727 1,833 1,746 1,885 1,857 1,961 2,022 1,962 
			 Newham 2,323 2,431 2,578 2,732 2,736 2,781 2,862 2,935 3,050 
			 Southwark 1,420 1,431 1,539 1,531 1,574 1,693 1,706 1,787 1,977 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,808 1,929 1,959 2,081 2,185 2,187 2,284 2,237 2,200 
			 Wandsworth 1,365 1,356 1.447 1,476 1,534 1,542 1,478 1,612 1,604 
			 Westminster 1,019 1,002 1,027 1,089 1,079 1,114 1,157 1,231 1,192 
			 Inner London 16,643 17,292 17,917 18,247 18,731 18,855 19,419 20,057 20,114 
			   
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,448 1,424 1,496 1,570 1,559 1,511 1,601 1,722 1,739 
			 Barnet 2,915 2,902 2,920 2,965 3,074 3,137 3,158 3,185 3,099 
			 Bexley 2,304 2,295 2,359 2,443 2,574 2,581 2,755 2,841 3,032 
			 Brent 1,884 1,950 1,977 2,062 2,095 2,375 2,374 2,419 2,392 
			 Bromley 2,775 2,783 2,867 2,759 2,985 3,103 3,107 3,322 3,231 
			 Croydon 2,807 2,786 2,793 2,904 3,037 3,010 3,101 3,279 3,393 
			 Ealing 2,153 2,136 2,181 2,217 2,215 2,228 2,488 2,459 2,400 
			 Enfield 2,763 2,728 2,878 2,938 3,076 3,014 3,035 3,082 3,166 
			 Greenwich 1,909 1,877 1,910 1,935 1,936 1,985 2,014 2,188 2,179 
			 Harrow 1,909 1,901 1,820 1,897 1,885 1,895 1,928 2,065 1,998 
			 Havering 2,581 2,490 2,480 2,465 2,635 2,654 2,688 2,869 2,821 
			 Hillingdon 2,129 2,171 2,224 2,247 2,374 2,315 2,325 2,545 2,578 
			 Hounslow 2,215 2,178 2,202 2,211 2,310 2,316 2,371 2,374 2,418 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,157 1,169 1,193 1,171 1,227 1,220 1,296 1,340 1,345 
			 Merton 1,292 1,348 1,381 1,319 1,302 1,328 1,321 1,372 1,317 
			 Redbridge 2,383 2,443 2,571 2,763 2,647 2,747 2,854 2,862 2,834 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,380 1,330 1,359 1,323 1,330 1,309 1,346 1,348 1,336 
			 Sutton 1,836 1,800 1,918 1,916 2,052 2,123 2,142 2,400 2,288 
			 Waltham Forest 1,925 1,994 2,021 2,021 2,106 2,138 2,139 2,302 2,311 
			 Outer London 39,765 39,705 40,550 41,126 42,419 42,989 44,043 45,974 45,877 
			   
			 London 56,408 56,997 58,467 59,373 61,150 61,844 63,462 66,031 65,991 
		
	
	The following table shows the percentage of 15-year-old(1) pupils achieving five or more GCSEs or equivalents at grades A* to G in maintained schools in each year since 1997.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 City of London  
			 Camden 83.8 86.7 87.1 88.4 90.5 89.5 89.6 88.6 87.2 
			 Hackney 78.8 78.8 79.6 77.7 83.1 82 1 89.0 89.6 87.0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 80.1 84.8 86.9 87.0 88.4 90.7 89.3 90.3 90.7 
			 Haringey 73.2 77.9 79.6 79.7 79.5 79.6 82.0 83.7 85.2 
			 Islington 75.0 77.2 80.8 78.8 79.4 78.7 84.1 84.8 85.4 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 86.4 82.9 84.8 82.6 92.8 90.9 89.1 89.8 89.0 
			 Lambeth 80.9 85.6 86.2 83.4 85.2 87.2 88.3 90.0 89.3 
			 Lewisham 81.1 84.0 87.6 84.9 85.7 86.8 87.9 88.1 88.8 
			 Newham 86.3 88.9 90.0 91.9 91.5 93.9 93.2 93.6 94.4 
			 Southwark 79.5 79.7 82.7 83.7 84.6 86.7 86.1 86.9 88.0 
			 Tower Hamlets 77.5 85.6 87.4 89.0 88.2 90.7 89.3 90.6 90.2 
			 Wandsworth 82.4 83.0 84.6 85.0 86.1 86.1 82.2 86.3 86.5 
			 Westminster 76.8 78.0 80.7 81.8 84.8 85.1 86.9 87.9 86.6 
			 Inner London 80.1 83.0 84.9 84.9 86.2 87.1 87.7 88.6 88.7 
			   
			 Barking and Dagenham 84.6 84.5 88.1 91.1 90.6 88.8 90.5 88.0 89.6 
			 Barnet 89.6 89.5 89.4 89.7 90.4 91.5 90.6 89.7 91.4 
			 Bexley 91.9 92.0 92.4 92.5 91.1 92.7 92.6 92.4 93.4 
			 Brent 87.5 89.1 89.4 88.9 88.9 90.4 89.7 91.5 91.9 
			 Bromley 92.1 93.5 93.1 93.8 92.8 92.5 91.9 91.8 92.4 
			 Croydon 86.0 86.3 88.2 90.6 90.9 90.4 88.8 90.6 91.2 
			 Ealing 86.8 88.0 90.0 91.5 93.0 90.9 92.8 91.7 93.0 
			 Enfield 87.3 88.5 91.4 91.1 91.5 90.6 90.3 89.8 89.8 
			 Greenwich 79.0 80.5 81.3 83.7 84.1 84.2 85.7 86.7 87.3 
			 Harrow 91.7 91.7 91.3 90.8 92.4 91.4 90.6 92.9 91.5 
			 Havering 92.1 91.5 93.8 92.5 92.2 92.9 93.7 93.6 93.6 
			 Hillingdon 85.4 87.9 88.3 89.7 90.2 88.8 87.0 86.8 87.9 
			 Hounslow 85.2 87.4 87.2 86.1 88.2 89.2 89.8 89.9 92.2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 88.0 88.1 90.0 88.2 89.0 87.8 91.3 90.5 90.3 
			 Merton 82.9 84.8 86.3 85.2 86.4 84.5 84.2 86.0 86.0 
			 Redbridge 91.3 92.7 93.9 95.2 94.2 95.4 94.8 94.9 95.4 
			 Richmond upon Thames 89.2 92.6 91.9 92.2 90.0 89.0 91.1 91.3 89.6 
			 Sutton 91.6 91.6 93.9 94.0 92.7 94.1 92.1 91.3 92.5 
			 Waltham Forest 85.0 86.3 87.3 86.8 89.0 90.9 88.8 88.2 90.8 
			 Outer London 87.9 88.9 90.0 90.4 90.6 90.7 90.5 90.6 91.3 
			   
			 London 85.5 87.0 88.4 88.6 89.2 89.6 89.6 90.0 90.5

Examinations

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of students achieved five or more GCSE grade A*-C in comprehensive secondary schools of  (a) fewer than 100 students,  (b) 100 to 199 students,  (c) 200 to 299 students,  (d) 300 to 399 students,  (e) 400 to 499 students,  (f) 500 to 599 students,  (g) 600 to 700 students and  (h) over 700 students in (i) rural areas and (ii) areas not classified as rural in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information requested can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  GCSE and equivalent achievement of pupils( 1)  at the end of Key Stage 4 by the end of 2004/05( 2)  in comprehensive schools( 3)  in rural and non-rural areas, by size of school 
			   Number of pupils at end of Key Stage 4  Number of pupils at end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE or equivalent  Percentage of pupils at end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE or equivalent 
			  Total number of pupils in school  (i) Rural schools  (ii) Non-rural schools  (i) Rural schools  (ii) Non-rural schools  (i) Rural schools  (ii) Non-rural schools 
			  (a) 100 0 9 0 2  22.2 
			  (b) 100-199 228 91 80 75 35.1 82.4 
			  (c) 200-299 69 405 35 198 50.7 48.9 
			  (d) 300-399 485 1,008 258 281 53.2 27.9 
			  (6) 400-499 1,310 4,289 737 1,661 56.3 38.7 
			  (f) 500-599 3,407 10,636 1,938 4,683 56.9 44.0 
			  (g) 600-699 4,192 16,376 2,534 7,789 60.4 47.6 
			  (h) =700 59,085 421,294 36,281 229,369 61.4 54.4 
			 All schools 68,776 454,108 41,863 244,058 60.9 53.7 
			 (1) Number of pupils on roll at the end of Key Stage 4 in the 2004/ 05 academic year. (2) Includes achievements by these pupils in previous academic years. (3) Including City Technology Colleges and Academies.

Exclusions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many  (a) permanent and  (b) fixed period exclusions there were broken down by reason for exclusion, in each London borough for the latest year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many  (a) permanent and  (b) fixed period exclusions were imposed for bullying in each local education authority in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The available information has been placed in the House Library.
	Only two years of data relating to the reason for exclusion are currently available. The first year for which information on the reason for exclusion is available relates to the 2003/04 academic year. Exclusions data for 2004/05 academic year were published in June 2006.

GCSE/A-levels

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils achieved grade C or above in  (a) mathematics,  (b) English,  (c) physics,  (d) chemistry and  (e) history in each year since 1997, broken down by region.

Jim Knight: The following tables show the number of 15-year-old pupils(1) achieving a grade C or above at GCSE in each year since 1997, in mathematics, English, physics, chemistry, and history, broken down by region.
	
		
			  (a) Number of 15- year- old pupils( 1)  achieving a grade C or above in mathematics GCSE 
			  Thousand 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 North East 11.7 11.7 12.3 13.0 14.0 14.4 14.0 15.0 15.1 
			 North West 28.9 35.6 37.8 38.9 41.1 42.8 42.1 45.2 46.2 
			 Merseyside(2) 6.5 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 23.2 23.2 24.1 25.3 26.4 27.4 27.5 29.7 31.0 
			 East Midlands 21.0 20.6 21.9 22.2 23.8 24.9 24.8 26.4 27.7 
			 West Midlands 25.5 25.8 27.8 28.5 30.2 31.7 31.2 33.2 34.9 
			 East 30.3 30.2 30.6 31.7 33.5 34.6 34.7 36.9 38.7 
			 London 30.6 31.5 32.7 34.0 36.3 38.2 39.2 42.4 44.0 
			 South East 45.9 44.5 46.4 47.7 50.8 52.2 53.4 56.1 58.4 
			 South West 26.6 26.9 27.5 28.6 30.4 31.6 31.8 33.9 35.4 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Number of 15year-old pupils( 1)  achieving a grade C or above in English GCSE 
			  Thousand 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 North East 14.2 13.9 14.9 15.4 15.9 16.1 16.7 17.2 17.0 
			 North West 33.5 41.7 44.6 45.3 46.7 48.0 49.2 50.6 51.3 
			 Merseyside(2) 8.1-- 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 27.1 26.7 28.7 29.5 30.5 31,9 32.9 34.0 34.7 
			 East Midlands 24.7 24.3 25.4 26.0 27.3 28.3 29.2 30.0 30.4 
			 West Midlands 31.0 31.3 33.2 33.7 35.2 36.2 37.2 37.7 39.1 
			 East 34.2 34.2 35.3 36.1 37.6 38.6 39.9 41.2 42.7 
			 London 35.9 37.1 39.0 39.7 41.4 42.9 45.0 47.6 49.0 
			 South East 52.6 51.6 53.7 54.2 56.6 57.8 60.9 62.6 64.4 
			 South West 30.9 30.9 32.0 32.6 34.0 35.5 36.6 38.3 39.0 
		
	
	
		
			  (c) Number of 15-year-old pupils( 1)  achieving a grade C or above in physics GCSE 
			  Thousand 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 North East 1.8 1.8 2.0 2.0 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8 2.0 
			 North West 3.7 5.4 5.2 5.0 5.1 4.9 4.9 5.1 5.2 
			 Merseyside(2) 1.5 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 2.8 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.8 2.6 3.0 3.2 
			 East Midlands 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.3 2.8 
			 West Midlands 3.0 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.9 4.1 4.3 
			 East 2.6 2.7 2.8 3.0 3.1 3.4 3.5 4.0 4.1 
			 London 3.8 4.0 4.2 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.8 5.3 5.7 
			 South East 6.6 6.9 7.5 7.6 8.0 8.0 8.2 8.9 9.5 
			 South West 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.8 4.0 4.0 4.2 4.3 4.8 
		
	
	
		
			  (d) Number of 15-year-old pupils( 1)  achieving a grade C or above in chemistry GCSE 
			  Thousand 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 North East 1.9 1.9 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 2.0 
			 North West 3.9 5.5 5.3 5.1 5.2 5.1 5.1 5.2 5.2 
			 Merseyside(2) 1.6 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 2.9 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.8 2.7 3.0 3.1 
			 East Midlands 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.3 2.8 
			 West Midlands 3.0 3.6 3.5 3.6 3.6 3.7 4.0 4.1 4.4 
			 East 2.6 2.7 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.6 4.0 4.2 
			 London 3.9 4.2 4.3 4.2 4.3 4.3 4.9 5.4 5.7 
			 South East 6.7 7.0 7.6 7.6 8.1 8.0 8.3 8.8 9.6 
			 South West 3.3 3.5 3.5 3.7 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.9 
		
	
	
		
			  (e) Number of 15 year old pupils( 1)  achieving a grade C or above in history GCSE 
			  Thousand 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 North East 5.8 5.3 5.4 5.3 5.7 5.4 5.4 5.6 5.4 
			 North West 13.3 15.5 15.8 16.1 16.5 16.7 16.2 17.1 17.7 
			 Merseyside(2) 3.3 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 11.2 9.9 10.6 10.9 11.1 11.0 11.5 11.9 12.0 
			 East Midlands 9.3 8.5 9.0 9.2 9.4 9.9 10.2 10.7 10.9 
			 West Midlands 12.6 11.4 12.4 12.3 12.6 12.9 13.4 14.0 14.0 
			 East 14.2 13.6 13.9 14.3 14.4 14.6 14.9 16.3 17.0 
			 London 14.9 14.4 14.4 14.9 15.6 15.6 16.3 18.0 18.6 
			 South East 21.5 19.9 20.5 21.3 21.9 21.9 23.0 24.6 24.9 
			 South West 11.7 11.7 11.6 12.3 12.4 12.8 12.9 13.8 14.3 
			 (1 )Pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August. (2 )Merseyside was absorbed into North West post-1997.

GCSE/A-levels

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students failed to turn up for at least one examination in each of the past five years at  (a) GCSE and  (b) A level.

Jim Knight: The information requested on students who fail to turn up for examinations is not held centrally by the Department.

GCSE/A-levels

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of 15-year-olds achieved  (a) five or more,  (b) seven or more and  (c) nine or more A*-C grades at GCSE and equivalent in each year since 1996.

Jim Knight: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number and percentage of 15-year-old pupils( 1)  achieving the following GCSEs or equivalents 5 or more A*-C grades 
			   5 or more A*-C grades  7 or more A*-C grades  9 or more A*-C grades 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 1996 264,537 44.5 175,509 34.1 108,277 21.0 
			 1997 264,892 45.1 177,338 34.8 110,904 21.7 
			 1998 266,431 46.3 178,848 35.3 111,389 22.0 
			 1999 278,560 47.9 190,776 33.5 122,098 21.4 
			 2000 285,727 49.2 196,402 34.7 126,502 22.4 
			 2001 301,617 50.0 245,460 39.5 170,293 27.4 
			 2002 312,739 51.6 255,352 40.7 179,470 28.6 
			 2003 329,382 52.9 269,471 42.9 190,494 30.3 
			 2004 345,604 53.7 283,863 43.8 205,144 31.6 
			 2005 358,598 56.3 296,889 46.6 219,355 34.5 
			 (1) Aged 15 at the start of the academic year ie 31 August.

Homophobic Bullying

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department takes to ensure that homophobic bullying in  (a) boarding and  (b) private schools is properly addressed.

Jim Knight: All independent schools in England must be registered with my Department. All registered schools have to meet the standards set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003, as amended, which cover six main areas including the quality of the education provided; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; and the welfare, health and safety of pupils. Schools are required to draw up and implement effectively, a written policy to prevent all kinds of bullying.
	In the White Paper, Higher Standards, Better Education for All, we gave an undertaking to issue guidance on bullying motivated by prejudice, including homophobia, providing school staff with valuable support in an area they often find challenging. We are currently developing a programme to tackle this issue.

Internet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to inform parents of the possible risks of allowing their children to use the internet unsupervised.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department for Education and Skills has for several years, through the parents online site and later from January 2005 through the parents centre site, provided advice and guidance to parents on using the internet safely with their children. This includes advice on the potential risks of using the internet unsupervised.
	The Department has also funded Childnet Internationala charitable organisationto produce safety materials, and new additional materials specifically aimed at parents and for use in the home that will be available in the autumn.

Internet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to teach children about the possible risks of using the internet.

Parmjit Dhanda: ICT is compulsory for pupils aged five to 16 and covers analysis, evaluation and responsible use of electronic information, including the internet.
	The Department has worked closely with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and Becta, the lead agency for ICT in schools, on developing resources and guidance for schools. Schools are encouraged to integrate e-safety messages across the curriculum and implement policies and safe practices on internet use.
	The Internet Proficiency Scheme was developed by the Department, QCA and Becta. Aimed at primary schools, it helps teachers educate children on staying safe on the internet. At secondary level, the Becta publication, 'Signposts to safety' provides advice on teaching internet safety at Key Stages 3 and 4.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the  (a) start date,  (b) original planned completion date,  (c) current expected completion date,  (d) planned cost and  (e) current estimated cost is for each information technology project being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The information as requested is not readily available centrally within the Department for Education and Skills. To respond fully would involve an extensive internal and external information collection exercise which would exceed the recommended disproportionate cost threshold.

Life Skills

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the introduction of life skills into the national curriculum.

Jim Knight: The national curriculum has the statutory aim of preparing pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. In addition to this, a non statutory framework for personal, social and health education (PSHE) was introduced in 2000. PSHE presents opportunities to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding to lead confident, healthy and independent lives. Citizenship education which covers social and moral responsibility, political literacy and community involvement, was introduced as a statutory subject in 2002.
	The Ofsted inspection framework includes an assessment of how schools are addressing learners' personal development and well-being as well as assessing the quality of provision in schools. The impact of citizenship is being assessed by an eight year longitudinal study which the Department commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research in 2001 to carry out.

London Olympics

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to use the Olympics as a way of encouraging more women into the construction sector.

Phil Hope: In preparation for the Olympics, Construction Skills have set up a team 'Constructing London 2012' to identify the skills needed to deliver the Games. They are working closely with the LSC to identify training requirements and how best to attract women into the sector. In the recent White Paper Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances, the Government announced a 20 million per annum package to tackle the barriers many women face in the labour market. This includes a London based Train to Gain pilot project focusing on training at level 3 for occupational areas where women are under-represented. It also includes testing new recruitment and career pathways in sectors where women face barriers to the labour market.

Ministerial Meetings

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he last met his Scottish counterpart; and what subjects were discussed.

Parmjit Dhanda: I have not met the Scottish Minister for Education and Young People since becoming Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

Ministerial Offices

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department for Education and Skills decorated the ministerial office in the financial year 2004/05 only.

Modern Apprenticeships

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school leavers in  (a) West Lancashire constituency,  (b) Lancashire,  (c) the North West and  (d) England have taken up a modern apprenticeship after completion of their GCSEs in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: The Apprenticeship programme continues to go from strength to strength with record numbers of young people participating and completion rates continuing to improve. Numbers of school leavers (i.e. 16 year olds) who have taken up an Apprenticeship in England since 2002-03 are as follows:
	
		
			   Apprenticeships (at level 2)  Advanced Apprenticeships (at level 3)  Total Apprenticeships (at levels 2  3) 
			 2004-05 45,125 8,912 54,037 
			 2003-04 43,110 9,174 52,284 
			 2002-03 41,711 10,383 52,094 
		
	
	The Learning Skills Council will be able to provide further data on Apprenticeship numbers broken down by region, however they can only report on data from 2001-02 onwards as work-based learning data before this is not available in the same way. The Council's Chief Executive Mark Haysom has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom , dated 25 July 2006:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked how many school leavers in.
	West Lancashire Constituency,
	Lancashire Local LSC area,
	North West region
	and England,
	have taken up Modern Apprenticeship after completion of their GCSE's each year since 1997.
	The information in the table shows the volumes of learners who started on Advanced Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship programmes for each year since 2002/03. This data for 16-18 year olds, is used as a proxy for school leavers in this analysis. The data is for each geographical area as requested. Consistent and comparable data for Work Based Learning is only available for analysis from 2002/03 onwards, which is the first full year of the operation of the LSC.
	
		
			  LSC funded 16-18 starts to Advanced Apprenticeships and Apprenticeships 
			   West Lancashire  Lancashire LSC area  North West Region  England 
			 2002-03 288 3,810 18,867 102,643 
			 2003-04 246 3,321 15,464 90,378 
			 2004-05 259 3,879 18,432 102,327 
			  Note:  Figures are based on age at the start of training. Location of a learner is linked to their home postcode.  Source: Work Based Learning ILR, LSC July 2006 
		
	
	The successful continuation of Work Based Learning has been recently highlighted in the Statistical First Releases for participation and success rates for the 2004/05 academic year. Most notably, the average number in learning on Apprenticeships in 2004/05 increased by 7.6% over 2003/04 and the trend away from NVQ Training towards Apprenticeships has continued. Current success rates for complete frameworks in all types of Apprenticeships have increased by 9 percentage points to 40% in 2004/05 and are currently running at over 50% for the 2005/06 academic year.

Modern Apprenticeships

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many modern apprenticeships are being undertaken, broken down by responsible sector skills councils.

Phil Hope: There are over 180 different Apprenticeship (formerly called Foundation Modem Apprenticeship) or Advanced Apprenticeship (formerly called Advanced Modern Apprenticeship) frameworks on offer to potential learners; the responsibility for each framework lies within an appropriate Sector Skills Council's remit. Accurate data on numbers of Apprenticeships by Sector Skills Council are not held centrally at present. In lieu of the fact that accurate figures are not held, a lower level disaggregation is provided in the following table which shows 2004/05 Apprenticeships (average numbers in learning) broken down by sector framework (numbers are rounded up to the nearest 10).
	
		
			  Average in learning 
			  Sector framework title  Advanced Apprenticeships  Apprenticeships  Total 
			 Accountancy 2,590  2,590 
			 Active Leisure and Learning 1,240  1,240 
			 Advice and Guidance 20  20 
			 Agricultural Crops and Livestock 290 570 850 
			 Amenity Horticulture 160  160 
			 Animal Care 90  90 
			 Apparel 10  10 
			 Arts and Entertainment, Cultural Heritage, Information and Library Services 90  90 
			 Automotive Industry 14,190  14,190 
			 Aviation 20  20 
			 Bakery 30  30 
			 Barbering 10  10 
			 Beauty Therapy 340  340 
			 Building Services Engineers 160  160 
			 Business Administration 4,670 14,200 18,870 
			 Carry and Deliver Goods 210  210 
			 Ceramics 30  30 
			 Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Retro-Chemical Manufacturing and Refining Industries 170 40 200 
			 Children's Care Learning and Development 6,920 8,940 15,860 
			 Cleaning and Support Service Industry 10  10 
			 Coatings Development Plan 10  10 
			 Coca Cola 40  40 
			 Communications Technologies (Telecoms) 2,670  2,670 
			 Community Justice 60  60 
			 Construction 3,870 20,380 24,250 
			 Contact Centres 220  220 
			 Cultural Heritage 10  10 
			 Customer Service 4,450  4,450 
			 Dental Nursing 430  430 
			 Design 10  10 
			 Driving Goods Vehicles 440  440 
			 Electrical and Electronic Servicing 100  100 
			 Electricity Industry 450  450 
			 Electrotechnical 12,680 2,470 15,150 
			 Emergency Fire Service Operations 90  90 
			 Engineering 17,410 10,370 27,770 
			 Engineering Construction 620 10 630 
			 Environmental Conservation 30  30 
			 Equine Industry 510  510 
			 Farriery 70  70 
			 Floristry 40  40 
			 Food and Drink Manufacturing Operations 30  30 
			 Furniture Industry 170  170 
			 Gas Industry 870  870 
			 Glass Industry 230  230 
			 Hairdressing 3,110  3,110 
			 Health and Social Care 3,700  3,700 
			 Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration 1,420  1,420 
			 Hospitality and Catering 4,930  4,930 
			 Housing 20  20 
			 Industrial Applications 10  10 
			 Information and Library Services 10  10 
			 Insurance 290  290 
			 International Trade and Services 30  30 
			 IT Services and Development 1,400  1,400 
			 IT User 90  90 
			 Jewellery, Silversmithing and Allied Trades 10  10 
			 Laboratory Technicians (Generic) 20  20 
			 Land-based Service Engineering 220  220 
			 Learning and Development (Direct Training and Support) 10  10 
			 Management 870  870 
			 Man-Made Fibres 10  10 
			 Marine Industry 380  380 
			 Meat and Poultry Processing 10  10 
			 Metals Industry 100 60 150 
			 Newspaper Industry 10  10 
			 Occupational Health and Safety Practice 30  30 
			 Oil and Gas Extraction 10  10 
			 Operating Department Practice
			 Optical Advisor 30  30 
			 Payroll 10  10 
			 Personnel 10  10 
			 Pharmacy Technicians 40  40 
			 Photo Imaging 20  20 
			 Plumbing 3,260 5,560 8,810 
			 Polymer Processing and Signmaking 20 60 80 
			 Ports Industry 10  10 
			 Printing 600  600 
			 Procurement 10  10 
			 Production Horticulture 10  10 
			 Property Services 210  210 
			 Providing Financial Services (Banks and Building Societies) 10  10 
			 Rail Transport Engineering 180  180 
			 Retail 1,190 7,530 8,720 
			 Saddlery 10  10 
			 Sales and Telesales 10  10 
			 Sea Fishing 10  10 
			 Security Industry 210  210 
			 Sporting Excellence 530  530 
			 Storage and Warehousing 10  10 
			 Teaching Assistants 10  10 
			 Textiles 100  100 
			 Transport Engineering and Maintenance 190  190 
			 Travel and Tourism Services Leisure and Business 1,680 430 2,110 
			 Trees and Timber 10  10 
			 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair 10  10 
			 Veterinary Nursing 110  110 
			 Water Industry 10  10 
			 Wholesale, Distribution, Warehousing and Storage 70  70 
			 Grand total 101,500 70,560 172,060 
			  Source:  WBL 2004/05ILR, Learning and Skills Council July 2006

Modern Apprenticeships

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the  (a) age profile,  (b) sex profile and  (c) success rate is of individuals who are undertaking modern apprenticeship schemes.

Bill Rammell: Apprenticeships are the main programme for young employed people seeking qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3.
	The following table shows numbers of Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships in 2004-05 by age and gender, and the corresponding success rates.
	
		
			  Type of apprenticeship programme  Age  Gender  Average in learning( 1)  Current framework success rate (Percentage)  Overall framework success rate (Percentage) 
			 Advanced 16-18 Female 10,954 36 32 
			 Advanced 16-18 Male 46,414 44 42 
			 Advanced 19+ Female 20,238 30 26 
			 Advanced 19+ Male 24,203 39 36 
			 Apprenticeship 16-18 Female 45,864 43 41 
			 Apprenticeship 16-18 Male 56,673 39 38 
			 Apprenticeship 19+ Female 24,992 41 38 
			 Apprenticeship 19+ Male 26,871 38 37 
			 (1 )Average in learning is defined as the average number of learners in learning in any period   Notes:  Age is based on the age of the learner at the start of the course  Source:  WBL 2004/05ILR, Learning  Skills Council 
		
	
	Two measures of success rate are shown in the table. Current success rates for those completing an Apprenticeship or Advanced Apprenticeship have been published for a number of years. The need for the development of an overall success rate as a broad comparator with FE for similar learning aims was outlined in the Success for All programme and figures were published for the first time this year. Both 'overall' and 'current' success rates are shown in Table 7 of the Statistical First Release (SFR) 'Further Education and Work-Based Learning for Young PeopleLearner Outcomes in England 2004-05(') published by the LSC on 11 April 2006. A link to the website is at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000649/index.shtml. Page 9 of the SFR provides further details on the different definitions of the two rates.

Modern Apprenticeships

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many modern apprenticeships have been undertaken in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster in each of the last eight years.

Phil Hope: Figures for those participating in Apprenticeships (previously called Modern Apprenticeships) funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) can be derived from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). This was collated for the first time in 2001/02 (as an Interim ILR) and consistent and comparable figures are currently only available for the three following years.
	The following tables show the total number of Apprentices in Barnsley and Doncaster for each year from 2002/03 to 2004/05.
	
		
			   Advanced Apprenticeship  Apprenticeship  Total 
			  Barnsley
			 2002/03 740 1,500 2,240 
			 2003/04 650 1,650 2,300 
			 2004/05 620 1,650 2,270 
			  Doncaster
			 2002/03 1,030 2,270 3,300 
			 2003/04 970 2,300 3,270 
			 2004/05 960 2,380 3,340

Music A-level

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the adequacy of resources allocated to the teaching of music A-level; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It is for individual schools and colleges to decide which qualifications they offer post 16 and to allocate the necessary resources to deliver those qualifications.

National Vocational Qualifications

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2005,  Official Report, column 392W, on National Vocational Qualifications, how many National Vocational Qualifications were awarded in food preparation and cooking in 2005-06.

Phil Hope: There were 17,200 National Vocational Qualifications in food preparation and cookery awarded in 2004-05, which is the latest year for which information is available.

Outsourcing

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what administrative functions for which his Department is responsible are outsourced overseas; and what assessment he has made of the merits of outsourcing further such functions overseas.

Parmjit Dhanda: A complete answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, from the information we have available, we do not appear to have outsourced any administrative functions overseas. The Department complies with European law and the World Trade Organisation Government Procurement Agreement and has no plans to outsource administrative functions overseas. We will consider the position for individual functions whenever appropriate.

Partially Selective Schools

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many partially selective secondary schools there are within the maintained sector in England.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally as admission arrangements are set locally, after an annual consultation process.
	However, we are aware of 35 schools which operate partial selection by ability or aptitude which it would not now be lawful to introduce. This is not a definitive number of such schools, and does not include those who since 1997/98 have introduced selection by aptitude of up to 10 per cent. of their intake.

Private Finance Initiative Contracts

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which local education authorities are expected to conclude new private finance initiative contracts in 2006-07.

Jim Knight: The following local authorities are expected to sign private finance initiative (PFI) contracts in 2006-07 :
	PeterboroughJuly 2006
	LewishamJuly 2006
	SloughAugust/September 2006
	SalfordSeptember 2006
	PlymouthDecember 2006
	DoncasterMarch 2007.

Primary School Teachers

Celia Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of teachers in primary schools in England was male  (a) in 1977 and  (b) on the latest date for which information is available.

Jim Knight: In March 1977 23 per cent. of full-time regular qualified teachers employed in maintained primary schools were male compared to 15.7 per cent. in March 2004 (provisional). This is the latest year for which figures are available.
	A time series showing the proportion of men in the teaching population between 1997 and 2004 can be found in table D4 at the following link at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DBA/OL/v000633/Additionald.xls

Pupil Exclusions

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many permanent and fixed period exclusions took place in  (a) England,  (b) each region and  (c) each local education authority in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by reason for exclusion.

Jim Knight: The requested information has been placed in the House Library.

Pupil Statistics

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in how many schools 50 per cent. or more of the pupils do not have English as their first language, broken down by region.

Jim Knight: The available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1) : Number of schools by percentage of school population whose first language is known or believed to be other than English( 2,3) as at January 2006 (provisional)by Government office region 
			  Number of schools 
			   Percentage of school population whose first language is known or believed to be other than English is:  
			   Less than 50  50 or more  All schools 
			   Primary  Secondary  Primary  Secondary  Primary  Secondary 
			 England 16,424 3,189 1,080 178 17,504 3,367 
			 North East 922 206 8 0 930 206 
			 North West 2,462 460 119 14 2,581 474 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1,780 304 111 19 1,891 323 
			 East Midlands 1,657 292 51 7 1,708 299 
			 West Midlands 1,725 387 129 26 1,854 413 
			 East of England 2,038 423 27 5 2,065 428 
			 Inner London 347 79 348 53 695 132 
			 Outer London 888 219 248 50 1,136 269 
			 South East 2,659 499 31 4 2,690 503 
			 South West 1,946 320 8 0 1,954 320 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2) Excludes dually registered pupils.  (3) Pupils of compulsory school age and above are classified according to their first language.   Source:  Schools Census

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the pupil-teacher ratio was in primary schools in Swindon in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what the pupil-teacher ratio was in secondary schools in Swindon in each year between 1997 and 2006.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the pupil-teacher ratio in maintained primary and secondary schools in Swindon local authority in each January from 1997 to 2005 (the latest year for which information is available at local authority level). Information for England from 1997 to 2006 is also given to enable comparison.
	It is anticipated that local authority level information for January 2006 will be published in September.
	
		
			  Pupil-teacher ratios( 1)  in maintained primary and secondary schools in Swindon local authority and England, January 1997 to 2006 
			   Primary  Secondary 
			   Swindon  England  Swindon  England 
			 1997(2) n/a 23.4 n/a 16.7 
			 1998 25.1 23.7 17.7 16.9 
			 1999 25.0 23.5 18.0 17.0 
			 2000 24.2 23.3 17.8 17.2 
			 2001 24.0 22.9 17.2 17.1 
			 2002 23.2 22.5 17.3 16.9 
			 2003 23.7 22.6 18.0 17.0 
			 2004 24.1 22.7 17.7 17.0 
			 2005 23.6 22.5 18.1 16.7 
			 2006(3) n/a 22.0 n/a 16.6 
			 (1) The pupil-teacher ratio is the full-time equivalent number of pupils divided by the full-time equivalent number of qualified teachers. Dually registered pupils are excluded. (2) Swindon local authority was created in the local government reorganisation of 1.4.97. (3) Provisional.  Source:  Annual School Census

Recycling in Schools

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what targets he has set for school recycling;
	(2)  how much school waste was recycled in each of the last 10 years; and what plans he has to encourage schools to increase their recycling of waste;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with private companies on the promotion of school recycling initiatives and environmental awareness campaigns;
	(4)  how much school waste has been recycled by private companies in the last 10 years;
	(5)  what discussions he has had with European Governments on the recycling of school waste.

Parmjit Dhanda: Central Government have not set any specific recycling targets for schools. There are targets for local authority recycling of household waste which does not include waste from schools. We do not know how much school waste has been recycled in the last 10 years.
	As part of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) proposed Sustainable Schools Strategy we encourage schools to recycle their waste. In May we launched the Sustainable Schools Consultation introducing the national framework(1). The consultation describes eight key doorways that schools can work towards to become more Sustainable one of which is purchasing and waste. By 2020 our aim is for all schools to be models of resource efficiency, recycling, repairing and reusing as much as possible. We are also working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who are promoting recycling in schools through funding of the Eco-Schools Award Scheme, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and various projects funded through the Environment Action Fund.
	DfES has discussed school recycling and environmental awareness campaigns with waste management companies, in particular regarding projects which were supported by the former landfill tax credit scheme which operated up until 2004.
	DfES has not had discussions with European Governments on the recycling of school waste.
	(1) www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools

Religious Schools/Studies

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he plans to take to ensure the preservation of the ethos of religious schools when the provisions in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 which replace external advisers appointed by a school's governing body with a schools improvement inspector appointed by the local authority come into force.

Jim Knight: We are introducing school improvement partners (SIPs) to support the accountability that local authorities have for the standards and levels of attainment in their schools. When local authorities appoint SIPs to schools we expect them to pay attention to the preferences, needs and characteristics, including religious characteristics, of individual schools and their governing bodies, and we expect SIPs to be responsive to the individual circumstances and characteristics of the schools they work with, including their religious characteristics. The national assessment for people seeking accreditation to be SIPs stresses this expectation. It is designed to withhold accreditation from anybody who might work with a school without taking account of the ethos and other features of the school. These expectations are set out clearly for local authorities and SIPs to support introduction of the SIP programme.

Religious Schools/Studies

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department takes to ensure that private schools teach religious studies appropriately.

Jim Knight: All independent schools in England must be registered with my Department. All registered schools have to meet the standards set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003, as amended, which cover six main areas including the quality of the education provided; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; and the welfare, health and safety of pupils. Schools are required to assist pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures in a way which promotes tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions.

Run-away Children

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the role of helplines in the provision of services for children and young people who run away; and what plans he has to extend that role.

Beverley Hughes: Helplines are one of a number of ways in which children who run away, or are thinking about running, can get help. The National Missing Person's Helpline is one, which this year has received about 900,000 central Government funding. Other helplines available to young people in crisis, such as Connexions Direct and others run by voluntary and community organisations, do an important job advising runaways and their families.
	But other sources of help and support are vital too. Children who run away need someone to talk to, but they also need help with the underlying problems that make them run. This should include prevention, mediation and other support services. The availability of such services is for local authorities to determine, according to local need. Local children's services continue to provide the most effective and direct route to help runaways, and those at risk of running away. Government are driving forward improvements to all such services, for all children, through the Every Child Matters programme.
	Recent projects have tested how best to provide responsive community-based servicesincluding local helpline provisionwithin local authorities children's services. We will disseminate the full lessons learnt from these to local authorities later this year. Future plans will be informed by these pilots, as well as by our current discussions with key stakeholders such as Children's Society and regional and local authorities.

School Meals

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in  (a) Brent East and  (b) Brent (i) are entitled to and (ii) claim free school meals.

Jim Knight: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Maintained Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools( 1) : School Meal Arrangements( 2)  January 2006( 3) 
			   Number on roll  Number of pupils taking free school meals ( 3)  Percentage taking free school meals  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals 
			  Maintained Nursery and Primary  
			 England 4,188,996 556,057 13.3 670,612 16.0 
			 Brent 23,387 5,523 23.6 6,338 27.1 
			 Brent East 7,886 1,704 22.2 1,998 26.0 
			   
			  Maintained Secondary  
			 England 3,310,034 328,642 9.9 440,611 13.6 
			 Brent 16,418 2,695 16.4 3.701 22.5 
			 Brent East 2,826 740 26.2 966 34.2 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed  (2) Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.  (3) Provisional  (4) Number of pupils who took a free school meal on the day of the census in January.   Source:  Schools Census

School Premises

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the condition of school premises;
	(2)  what the cost was of outstanding repairs to school buildings identified by the 2005 Asset Management Survey; and when he will publish the full results of that survey;
	(3)  what the value was of outstanding repairs to school buildings in each year since 2002; and what proportion of this repair work has since been carried out.

Jim Knight: Based on data supplied to the Department over recent months by local education authorities, it is estimated that schools have repair and maintenance requirements of approximately 8.8 billion. This compares with 9.0 billion and 8.8 billion shown in data received in 2001 and 2003 respectively. Costs have been updated to current prices. In addition to backlog repair work, the figures cover work needed over a five year period from the dates of the assessments from which the data are derived, including cyclical and scheduled maintenance. The cost of urgent work has reduced by approximately 30 per cent. against the data received in 2001.
	Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under 700 million in 1996-97 to 5.5 billion in 2005-06 and will rise further to over 8 billion by 2010-11. While reducing maintenance requirements is a long term aim, the primary objectives for funding are to raise educational standards and tackle local deprivation. A substantial proportion of capital funding is targeted at transformational programmes, such as Building Schools for the Future and the primary capital programme. Over time, these programmes will significantly reduce future maintenance requirements.
	The data received over recent months, referred to above, are currently being appraised and the Department is working with authorities where necessary to secure improvements in their asset management processes. Detailed national analysis will be published on completion of the appraisal.

School Testing

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the level of testing in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The levels of testing have remained consistent for a number of years. There are three sets of national tests in the first nine years of education. This requirement for independent, objective evidence of performance is by no means excessive when set alongside the billions of pounds of public money that are invested in the education system each year.
	The total number of statutory test papers taken during this time would amount to about 20.
	The Key Stage 1 tests and tasks are not strictly timed and can be administered flexibly over an extended period.
	The Key Stage 2 tests amount to a total of 5 hours 15 minutes spread over a week; in a key stage that covers four years, this represents about 0.14 per cent. of the available teaching time.
	The Key Stage 3 tests amount to a total of 7 hours 40 minutes spread over a week; in a three-year key stage, this represents less than 0.2 per cent. of the available teaching time.
	This relatively small commitment of time is vastly outweighed by the valuable information that can be provided by testing.
	We believe the current level of assessment for English, maths and science is appropriate.

School Toilets

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the required toilet to  (a) male and  (b) female pupil ratio is in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools.

Jim Knight: To comply with the 1999 School Premises Regulations, mainstream schools should have at least one WC or urinal per 20 pupils over five years of age. Washroom facilities must be adequate, having regard to the ages, sexes, numbers of pupils and any special requirements that they may have.

Secondary Education

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the proposed reform of the secondary education system on the number of jobs in the sector.

Jim Knight: Decisions about staffing levels in schools are taken by individual governing bodies, based on the delegated funding they receive. Nothing in the Education and Inspections Bill changes thisit will still be for schools to determine their own staffing levels and structures.

Selective Mutism

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 13 June 2006,  Official Report, columns 1101-02W, on selective mutism, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that education experts and schools are aware of the video, DVD and accompanying book on selective mutism;
	(2)  what steps his Department, Executive agencies, local authorities and individual schools are required to take to  (a) fund and  (b) provide advice and assistance in relation to selective mutism.

Parmjit Dhanda: Publicising and disseminating particular resources would be a matter for the originating party, rather than the Department. However, we do operate an inclusion website http://inclusion.nqfl.gov.uk which includes information on available materials relevant to special educational needs and disability. It is open to organisations to publicise their resources through that.
	As mentioned in our previous answer, the Department has not issued any recent guidance specifically on selective mutism, although it is one of a number of communication difficulties addressed in our early support publication Speech and language difficulties, published in 2005. This publication includes contact details for the Selective Mutism Information and Research Association (SMIRA).
	It would be for individual local authorities, schools and early years settings to determine whether there was a case for developing local materials or training sessions on selective mutism.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has issued to ensure that local authority provision for children with special educational needs is dependent on need rather than local budgetary or resource considerations; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice, issued by the Secretary of State in 2001 is statutory guidance. It gives guidance to schools and local authorities on their duties under the Education Act 1996 to identify, assess and make provision for children with special educational needs. Most children with SEN are supported from within the resources available to their school. But local authorities have a duty, where necessary, to carry out statutory SEN assessments and make and maintain SEN statements specifying the provision that an individual child's special educational needs call for. Local authorities have to arrange the special educational provision required to meet the child's needs and make available the necessary funding for that provision.
	Local authorities may fund specialist support services, such as SEN specific outreach teams, in order to help schools meet children's needs. The profile of such central services is a matter for local decision.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special schools for children with  (a) special educational needs and  (b) behavioural, emotional and social difficulties there were in each local education authority area in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: holding answer 17 July 2006
	The available information has been placed in the House Library.
	The information given in the table has been taken from two different sources. Information on numbers of maintained and non maintained special schools has been taken from Schools' Census returns and a time series has been provided.

Sex Education

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures his Department takes to ensure that private and boarding schools teach sex education appropriately and sufficiently.

Parmjit Dhanda: All independent schools in England must be registered with my Department. All registered schools have to meet the standards set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003, as amended, which cover six main areas including the quality of the education provided; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils; and the welfare, health and safety of pupils. The standards require all independent schools to provide personal, social and health education, which reflects the ethos and aims of the school.

Skills for Life

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of the participants in the Skills for Life Strategy are  (a) male and  (b) female.

Phil Hope: Between 2001 and July 2005, the Skills for Life Strategy has helped 1,275,000 people improve their literacy, language or numeracy skills. Figures from 2003/04, the last year for which confirmed figures are currently available, show that 45 per cent. of Skills for Life achievements were by males and 55 per cent. were by females. The aim of the Skills for Life Strategy is to help all learners who may be at disadvantage in life and at work through poor skills to improve their literacy, language and numeracy ability so that they are better able to support their families, contribute to community life and perform successfully at work.

Smacking

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will undertake  (a) an assessment of and  (b) public consultation upon the merits of measures to ban the smacking of children by their parents.

Parmjit Dhanda: Section 58 of the Children Act 2004, which was passed by a free vote in the House of Lords, and another free vote in the Commons, removed the defence of reasonable chastisement for offences of Actual Bodily Harm or worse against children. The Government believe that this will ensure the proper protection of children without criminalising loving parents for administering a trivial smack.
	During the Commons debate on the Children Bill, the Government committed itself to review the operation of section 58 of the Children Act two years after its commencement. We will be considering this during 2006-07, including consultation with interested parties.

Student Fees

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of students in England paid  (a) none,  (b) part and  (c) all of their fees in 2005/06.

Bill Rammell: The percentage of students in England in 2004/05 making a nil, partial or full contribution to their tuition fees is given in the table:
	
		
			   Percentage of students 
			 Students making no contribution to fees 43 
			 Students making a part contribution to fees 13 
			 Students making a full contribution to fees 44 
			  Note: 1. Data do not include those students who decide not to apply to the SLC for any student support.  2. Data for 2005/06 will not be available until November 2006.   Source:  Student Loans Company (SLC). 
		
	
	In 2004/05, students on full-time undergraduate courses and their families were
	expected to make a contribution towards the cost of their tuition based on household income. Students from lower income backgrounds were wholly or partially exempt from paying tuition fees.
	From 2006/07, no student will need to find money up front to meet tuition fees, as they will be eligible for a tuition fee loan of up to 3,000. In addition, we expect around 30 per cent. of students to receive a maximum maintenance grant of 2,700 and an HE institution bursary of at least 300. Overall, we expect around half of all eligible students to receive at least some maintenance grant.

Student Stress

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment his Department has made of levels of stress experienced by students (a) taking written and oral exams and  (b) undertaking coursework and continual assessment.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), which is responsible for the regulation of qualifications and examinations in England, takes the issue of the assessment burden on candidates seriously, including stress levels. When qualifications are developed, the QCA looks both at the overall manageability and the burden on students taking the qualifications. In recent years, for example, measures have been taken to reduce the length of some A level examination papers in order to reduce the total exam burden for students. The 14-19 White Paper, published last year, gave QCA a remit to address three concerns about coursework assessment, one of which related to the overall burden on students. QCA has recently submitted its advice to the Secretary of State and we will be responding in due course.

Sure Start

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the Sure Start schemes in Easington constituency; and what plans he has for the future of Sure Start in Easington.

Beverley Hughes: There are four designated Sure Start children's centres within the Easington constituency with a further four planned by the end of September 2006. The centres will reach a total of 3301 children under the age of five. Three of the children's centres are based on Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs) and two are based on mini Sure Start local programmes. Each of the Sure Start local programmes carried out their own local evaluations assessing progress against a range of outcomes as part of their local level monitoring and evaluation. Findings from the local evaluations have been used to inform good practice in Sure Start children's centres. Local authorities play a key role in identifying numbers of children's centres, their location and the range of services offered. They are also responsible for putting in place effective monitoring and performance management arrangements to assess the quality of the centres.
	There is some excellent practice in Easington, with Sure Start Peterlee being awarded the Partners in Excellence Award in December 2004 for its work on developing a model of intervention to measure child development. The programme was also short listed in the Achieving with Partners category in December 2005. The overall impact of Sure Start local programmes nationally is being assessed through the National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS).
	Two additional children's centres with a planned reach of 989 children under the age of five will be established within the Easington constituency, during phase two of the children's centre development. children's centres services will then be available to all children under the age of five in Easington.

Sure Start

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training staff in Sure Start projects are expected to have regarding identifying people with mental health problems and dealing with them appropriately.

Beverley Hughes: The Sure Start Children's Centres Practice Guidance (published in November 2005) gives advice to local authorities on the sort of prevention and intervention services children's centres should provide in order to promote the mental health and well-being of young children and their parents. Local authorities together with key partners such as primary care trusts are responsible for ensuring services are of high quality. This includes identifying and addressing the training needs of staff working in children's centres.

Teachers

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many full-time equivalent qualified teachers were employed in primary schools in Swindon in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many full-time equivalent qualified teachers were employed in secondary schools in Swindon in each year between 1997 and 2006.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of regular qualified teachers employed in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Swindon local authority in each January from 1997 to 2005 (the latest year for which information is available at local authority level). Information for England from 1997 to 2006 is also given to enable comparison.
	It is anticipated that local authority level information for January 2006 will be published in September.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent qualified teachers employed in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Swindon local authority and England, January 1997 to 2006 
			   Nursery/Primary  Secondary 
			   Swindon  England  Swindon  England 
			 1997(1) n/a 190,660 n/a 187,660 
			 1998 730 188,990 630 187,670 
			 1999 740 189,890 660 189,730 
			 2000 750 191,640 670 191,100 
			 2001 680 192,620 660 193,760 
			 2002 790 193,080 690 196,580 
			 2003 760 191,890 690 197,940 
			 2004 760 190,450 690 200,590 
			 2005 760 189,920 670 204,080 
			 2006(2) n/a 192,100 n/a 205,600 
			 (1) Swindon local authority was created in the local Government reorganisation of 1.4.97. (2) Provisional.  Notes: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  Survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, (618g)

Teachers

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many newly qualified teachers obtained employment in full-time teaching positions in schools related to the subject in which they trained in 2006.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Teachers

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what training teachers receive on how to deal with children with  (a) special educational needs and  (b) communication disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: In order to be awarded Qualified Teacher Status, all trainee teachers must demonstrate that they understand their responsibilities under the statutory Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, know how to seek advice from specialists on less common types of SEN, can differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, including those with SEN, and within that pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties, and can identify and support pupils who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
	The current standards for teachers are under review. Once revised, it is proposed that they will be strengthened to include a standard which requires teachers to know and comply with current legislation on well being of children and young people, one which requires teachers to know and understand the role of others when dealing with children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and one which requires teachers to communicate effectively with parents and carers.
	Induction Standards require Newly Qualified Teachers to demonstrate that they can plan effectively to meet the needs of pupils in their classes with SEN, with or without a statement, and in consultation with the school's SEN Co-ordinator (SENCO), can contribute to the planning for individual needs.
	Once qualified, all teachers are expected to discuss their own development needs in performance management reviews, and to address development priorities. This could include strengthening knowledge and understanding of communication difficulties. Where schools have identified a need to strengthen knowledge and understanding of SEN or communication difficulties, as a school improvement priority, this should be addressed through their school improvement and development plans.
	All schools receive a School Development Grant which they are able to use to support improvements in any aspect of teaching and learning. A wide variety of courses are available covering SEN, ranging from awareness-raising through to in-depth studies leading to specific qualifications. It is, however, a matter for individual teachers and their schools to determine their own particular training and development needs. Local authorities may retain a proportion of this grant, under certain conditions, to provide specific training and development of SEN.
	The Department's published SEN Strategy, 'Removing Barriers to Achievement' recognised the important of training and committed us to work closely with the Training and Development Agency for Schools to ensure that initial teacher training and programmes of continuing professional development provide a good grounding in core skills and knowledge of SEN. We have commissioned the IDA to carry forward a range of initiatives designed to improve and strengthen the SEN skills and confidence of trainees, newly qualified and established teachers. These initiatives will be implemented over the period 2005-08 at a cost of approximately 1.1 m.

Teachers

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers  (a) retired and  (b) retired on the grounds of ill health, broken down by type of ill health, in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The following tables provide:  (a) the number of teachers who retired in each year from 1989-90 to 2004-05 broken down by the type of award, (premature, age and ill health); and  (b) ill health retirements by diagnosis in each 12-month period from 1 October 2002, the earliest date from which data have been collected in this form.
	Further information on teacher retirements has been published in the Statistics of Education School Workforce in England Volume, 2005 edition, which can be downloaded from the following URL:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/VOL/v000633/index.shtml.
	
		
			  Retirements from the maintained schools sector( 1) : Type of award and sex by year of award, 1989-90 to 2004-05England 
			   Premature( 2)  Age 
			  Financial year  (1 April to 31 March)  Men  Women  Men and women  Men  Women  Men and women 
			 1989-90(4) 3,220 4,840 8,060 960 2,550 3,500 
			 1990-91(4) 3,000 4,740 7,740 890 2,610 3,500 
			 1991-92(4) 2,470 4,070 6,530 810 2,360 3,170 
			 1992-93(4) 2,760 4,400 7,170 750 2,560 3,310 
			 1993-94(4) 3,180 4,860 8,030 850 2,580 3,430 
			 1994-95(4) 2,730 4,390 7,120 780 2,740 3,520 
			 1995-96(4) 3,360 5,240 8,600 760 2,720 3,480 
			 1996-97(4) 3,840 6,370 10,210 700 2,600 3,300 
			 1997-98(4) 4,350 7,030 11,380 810 2,770 3,580 
			 1998-99(4) 950 1,430 2,380 840 2,990 3,830 
			 1999-2000(4) 1,140 1,520 2,660 990 3,270 4,260 
			 2000-01(4) 1,270 1,900 3,170 980 3,220 4,190 
			 2001-02(4) 1,330 2,150 3,480 1,060 3,320 4,380 
			 2002-03(4, 5) 1,520 2,450 3,960 1,240 3,670 4,910 
			 2003-04(4, 5) 1,910 3,030 4,940 1,330 4,080 5,410 
			 2004-05(4, 5) 2,400 3,660 6,060 1,540 4,660 6,200 
		
	
	
		
			   Ill-health( 3)  Total 
			  Financial year  (1 April to 31 March)  Men  Women  Men and women  Men  Women  Men and women 
			 1989-90(4) 1,270 2,310 3,580 5,440 9,700 15,140 
			 1990-91(4) 1,420 2,860 4,280 5,310 10,210 15,520 
			 1991-92(4) 1,390 2,640 4,030 4,660 9,070 13,730 
			 1992-93(4) 1,440 2,610 4,050 4,950 9,580 14,530 
			 1993-94(4) 1,840 2,990 4,820 5,860 10,420 16,290 
			 1994-95(4) 1,970 3,310 5,290 5,490 10,440 15,930 
			 1995-96(4) 1,870 3,290 5,160 5,990 11,250 17,240 
			 1996-97(4) 1,810 3,170 4,980 6,360 12,130 18,490 
			 1997-98(4) 1,200 2,070 3,260 6,360 11,860 18,220 
			 1998-99(4) 850 1,440 2,290 2,640 5,850 8,490 
			 1999-2000(4) 860 1,470 2,320 2,990 6,250 9,240 
			 2000-01(4) 1,040 1,590 2,630 3,280 6,710 9,990 
			 2001-02(4) 920 1,460 2,380 3,310 6,940 10,240 
			 2002-03(4, 5) 770 1,260 2,030 3,520 7,380 10,900 
			 2003-04(4, 5) 770 1,100 1,870 4,010 8,210 12,220 
			 2004-05(4, 5) 610 930 1,540 4,550 9,250 13,790 
			 (1) Excludes sixth form colleges.  (2) The effect of the change in the Teachers' Pension Scheme as from 31 August 1997 was that many more teachers took early retirement in 1997 than in previous years. Premature includes Actuarially Reduced Benefit retirements from 2000-01.  (3) Changes in the statutory regulations governing ill-health retirement came into force on 1 April 1997. To quality for ill-health retirement benefits a teacher must now be regarded as permanently unfit to teach.  (4) All years are subject to slight revision due to the addition of retrospective awards and suspension of pension benefits where teachers return to service.  (5) 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 are provisional estimates.   Source:  Pensioner Statistical System (PENSTATS). 
		
	
	
		
			  Ill-health retirements by diagnosis( 1) 
			  Diagnosis  2002-03( 2)  2003-04( 2)  2004-05( 2) 
			 Blood and blood forming organs 25 25 25 
			 Chronic fatigue syndrome 65 60 60 
			 Circulatory 160 130 135 
			 Congenital malformations 5 5 (3) 
			 Digestive 30 45 35 
			 Ear and mastoid process 70 80 80 
			 Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic 30 30 20 
			 Eye and adnexa 35 25 30 
			 Genitourinary 30 20 15 
			 Infectious and parasitic diseases (3) 0 0 
			 Injury, poisoning and other external causes 30 30 40 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders 865 905 785 
			 Musculoskeletalback 210 195 195 
			 Musculoskeletalnon back 130 115 115 
			 Neoplasms 245 260 255 
			 Nervous system 160 155 170 
			 Perinatal period (3) 0 0 
			 Respiratory 70 70 70 
			 Skin and subcutaneous tissue 10 5 5 
			 (1) Figures are for ill-health retirements from all education sectors in England and Wales pensionable under the Teachers' Pensions Scheme.  (2 )Each year covers the period 1 October to 30 September.  (3) Less than 5.   Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.   Source:  DfES medical advisers.

Tuition Fees

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to the Government in the year of introduction of raising tuition fees by  (a) 1,000 and  (b) 100 where the payment of tuition fees is deferred until graduation.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 29 June 2006
	Estimates of the costs to Government of tuition fee loans for full-time undergraduates in England are based on the assumption that 9 per cent. of students are charged a fee of 2,000 and 91 per cent. of students are charged a fee of 3,000 ie the average fee for new students will be 2,910. For an average fee of 3,010.The additional costs in the 2006/07 academic year would be around 5 million,(1) and for an average fee of 3,910, the additional costs for the same academic year would be 70 million or more. In each case, we have used our existing assumptions: that a tuition fee loan is available to meet the full cost of tuition fees, that the total cost of providing tuition fee loans over their lifetime is 33 per cent. of their face value, and that 80 per cent. of eligible students take them up. These estimates are approximate as significant changes in the fee level would be likely to have an effect on assumptions.
	The maximum fee cannot be raised by more than inflation until 2 January 2010
	and only then with the approval of both Houses of Parliament.
	(1) Cost estimates rounded to the nearest 5 million.

Vocational Training

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans the Government have to improve vocational training for young people in Houghton and Washington East.

Phil Hope: The new specialised Diplomas will provide an exciting, aspirational and stretching programme of learning for young people of all abilities and backgrounds, including the most able, who enjoy learning in a practical environment. A new statutory entitlement to study for a Diploma will be in place for all 14 to 19-year-olds from September 2013.
	Apprenticeships are the main programme for young employed people seeking vocational qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3. Other opportunities are also being developed, including a pilot programme that started in April this year aimed at encouraging 16-18 year olds in jobs without training to gain a Level 2 qualification, whether academic or vocational. For those over 19 and without either basic skills or a first Level 2 qualification we have put in place the Train to Gain service to deliver high quality flexible qualifications in the workplace.
	In addition, the Department has introduced a presumption that sixth form proposals from high performing specialist schools wishing to take up a vocational specialism will be approved. Such proposals will be supported by capital investment from a new 16-19 capital fund, administered by the Learning and Skills Council. The aim of the initiative is to engage successful schools in the delivery of high quality vocational learning in line with the 14-19 Implementation Plan. This will be complemented by a new Further Education presumption arrangement announced in the recent FE White Paper that will prioritise 16-19 capital investment in high performing colleges wishing to expand to deliver the new specialised Diplomas.
	The local Learning and Skills Council can provide details of any local initiatives that are available in the Houghton and Washington, East area.

Weapons in Schools

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many  (a) expulsions and  (b) temporary exclusions from schools there have been for the possession of (i) knives and (ii) firearms in each year since 1996.

Jim Knight: The requested information is not available.
	Only two years of data relating to the reason for exclusion are currently available. The first year for which information on the reason for exclusion is available relates to the 2003/04 academic year. Exclusions data for 2004/05 academic year were published in June 2006.
	Tables showing the number of permanent and fixed period exclusions by the reason for exclusion in 2003/04 and 2004/05 have been placed in the Library. There is not a specific category relating to possession of knives or firearms.

Youth Clubs

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of child personal security in youth clubs where people over 18 years may attend a youth club as a user of such clubs; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: In considering the standards of provision, the Department would expect local authorities to take account of the Statutory Guidance on the Duty to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004. This guidance sets out local authority responsibility for making arrangements to ensure their normal functions are discharged having regard to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in their area. This includes all types of local authority services, including those provided by district councils.
	Local authorities can also use DfES guidance issued to the education service on safer recruitment as a basis for developing procedures on checks for staff and volunteers. They should have clear policies and practices for the protection of children and young people in place and understood.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Support

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total budget was in 2005-06 for agricultural support in England; and what the administrative costs were of distributing it.

Ian Pearson: The total budget for agricultural support in England in 2005-06 was 2,045,088,000. This was administered by the Rural Payments Agency, whose administrative costs were budgeted at 228.96 million for 2005-06.

Air Conditioning

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department  (a) has evaluated and  (b) plans into the contribution to future climate change emissions made by air conditioning in domestic homes.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) has undertaken some limited research to estimate the contribution of air-conditioning in domestic homes to future carbon emissions. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given him on 13 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1979W.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government has undertaken some research on the market penetration of domestic air conditioning, based on data from the USA, as part of its work to develop proposals for amending Part L of the Building Regulations, which it consulted on in July 2004.
	Many domestic air-conditioners sold through trade supply routes are actually used in non-domestic buildings, and many sales are not captured by market survey statistics. This means there is uncertainty about their environmental impact. Although a growth in sales of domestic air-conditioners seems likely, their impact is small compared to that of air-conditioning in non-domestic buildings.
	At present, the MTP does not plan any further research specifically on air-conditioning in domestic homes, and it is not aware of any current or planned research being undertaken by other programmes or organisations on the contribution to climate change.

Air Quality

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the air quality in Brent; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Local authorities have a duty, under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995, to review and assess the current, and likely future, air quality in their areas. Where local authorities consider that one or more of the nationally prescribed air quality objectives for each of the seven pollutants is unlikely to be met by the relevant deadline, they must declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), covering the area where the problem is expected. These local authorities must then take action, along with other agencies and organisations, to work towards meeting the air quality objectives. The Mayor has responsibility for ensuring the Local Air Quality Management regime is undertaken appropriately by London boroughs.
	Following the first round of reviews and assessments, the London borough of Brent declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in respect of nitrogen dioxide and particulates (PM10) in April 2001. In fulfilment of its obligations, Brent carried out a further assessment of the existing, and likely future, air quality within the existing AQMA in the borough, and submitted a report to my Department in September 2003. The report concluded that the AQMA, as declared, was still justified. Brent has an action plan in place for their AQMA.
	The second round of reviews and assessments started in 2003. London boroughs had to submit their Updating and Screening Assessments (USA) by December 2003, and were expected to submit either a detailed assessment (where further investigation was required) or a progress report by December 2004. The London borough of Brent submitted their USA to my Department in October 2004. They concluded that further investigation (detailed assessment) was needed in respect of the likely exceedences of benzene, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and PM10 objectives. The detailed assessment was submitted to my Department in April 2006 and the Mayor of London in March 2006. The report concluded that additional AQMAs are required for nitrogen dioxide and PM10.
	The third round of review and assessments has now started and local authorities were asked to submit a new USA by the end of April 2006. Brent's USA has been received and my officials are currently assessing the report. The Mayor of London has also received a copy of Brent's USA.

Area-based Initiatives

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the  (a) budget and  (b) expenditure was for administration on each area-based initiative for which his Department and its predecessors have been responsible in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: The Department does not maintain a separate record of expenditure for administrating geographically targeted Government interventions, it is included in the overall administration costs. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Bovine TB

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the definition of sound science is by which he will determine the Government's response to its consultations on methods to control bovine tuberculosis.

Ben Bradshaw: I will base any decision on badger culling on a sound scientific and practical foundation. By sound science I mean the evidence from the available science base and the outcomes from the on-going TB research programme.

British Waterways

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department will sign the long-term contract with British Waterways recommended in the quinquennial review in 2004.

Barry Gardiner: The 2004 Policy Review of British Waterways made a number of recommendations associated with increasing clarity of purpose, measurement of performance and long-term funding arrangements.
	We are currently discussing with British Waterways, how these might be achieved in practice. The aims are to establish a more robust funding and performance framework to maintain waterways at a sustainable level, give clarity on expectation on income and efficiencies and certainty of funding over the medium term. The intention is for this framework to be in place for the next Comprehensive Spending Review period.

CAP/Agricultural Tariffs

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had on  (a) agricultural tariffs and  (b) the common agricultural policy with (i) the US Department of Agriculture and (ii) EU Commissioner Boel in relation to the Doha world trade talks.

Ian Pearson: My DEFRA ministerial colleagues and I continue to meet regularly with Commissioner Fischer Boel and the European Commission's directorate-general for Agriculture and Rural Development to discuss a range of issues including reform of the common agricultural policy and the current World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations which include agricultural tariffs.
	We also have contact with representatives from the US Administration and other third countries to discuss issues including agricultural policy and the current Doha talks, and will continue to do so in the future. The European Commission has responsibility for trade negotiations, which take place within a mandate set by EU member states, and has regular contact with WTO delegations.

Carbon Emissions

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he plans to take to ensure that the UK Government will reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. by 2010.

Ian Pearson: The new UK climate change programme, published in March 2006, details policies and measures to cut UK emissions of carbondioxide and other/greenhouse gases. The UK's climate change programme 2006 is available on the Defra website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/ukccp/pdf/ukccp06-all.pdf
	On current projections we are expected to achieve a 16.2 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, however the climate change programme is not the final word and further contributions are likely be made by the Energy Review, the Department for Communities and Local Government Review of buildings and other Government initiatives over the coming years.

Carbon Emissions

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total carbon emissions of the UK were in 2005-06; and what assessment he has made of the relative performance of the UK on carbon emissions compared with other major industrial nations.

Ian Pearson: Estimates of UK greenhouse gas emissions for 2005 are not yet available. Summary statistics for 2005 will be published in January 2007 and a full national inventory report for the UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) will be published in April 2007.
	Provisional data for 2005 suggest that UK emissions of carbon dioxide were some 153 million tonnes of carbon, and that total greenhouse gas emissions were about 178.9 million tonnes of carbon equivalent. These were respectively about 5.3 per cent. and about 14.6 per cent. below the Kyoto protocol base year level. Provisional estimates are uncertain, but mostly within 1 percentage point of the final figure. In 2004, the most recent year which finalised data are available, UK carbon dioxide and total greenhouse gas emissions were estimated to have been 5.6 per cent. and 14.6 per cent. respectively below Kyoto base year levels.
	Of the major mature market economies, only Germany, which has undergone significant economic restructuring since reunification, has reduced its emissions by a greater amount than the UK. The US which has ratified the UNFCCC but not the Kyoto protocol, is estimated to have increased its greenhouse emissions by 16 per cent. between 1990 and 2004.

Climate Change

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the implications of climate change for rural areas; and what plans his Department has to help areas to respond to these implications.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA has recently received the final report of a study commissioned under the Cross-Regional Research Programme on climate change and its impacts on the Countryside and Rural Economy. The project also considered possible adaptation strategies that could be implemented to lessen the effects of unavoidable climate change. The report outlined the factors contributing to the vulnerability of rural areas, identified the key climate impacts likely to occur, and discussed potential adaptation strategies that could be implemented.
	Rural areas will face the same challenges as the UK as a whole: higher average temperatures, more frequent and higher extreme temperatures, especially in the South East, together with warmer wetter winters and longer dry summers, and higher risk of extreme storm and drought events. Farmers and other land managers are in the front line of a changing climate and, as identified in the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy Forward Look, tackling climate change and its impacts are a key part of DEFRA policy on agriculture. Research suggests that though climate change impacts do not appear to threaten the viability of the agriculture industry as a whole in the UK, due to the adaptability of UK systems, individual agricultural businesses and land managers will need to be aware of the need to adapt.
	In order to help raise awareness of the problems and develop suitable adaptation strategies, the Rural Climate Change Forum has been established to provide a high level forum for dialogue with the Government, and authoritative advice and leadership to rural stakeholders. Last year under the UK presidency of the EU, we hosted the first ever Joint Informal Council on Environment and Agriculture on the topic of agriculture and climate change.
	We have recently awarded funding under the Climate Challenge Fund to the National Farmers' Union and Forum for the Future, to communicate climate change issues to land managers. We will be working with the National Farmers' Union, the Country Land and Business Association and the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) to host a seminar on adaptation for agricultural support industries in September this year. We are already working with rural stakeholders and UKCIP on identifying and publicising adaptation strategies and encouraging land managers to see dealing with climate change as part of risk management in their business. UKCIP and regional partners have established rural climate change partnerships to identify local action needed.
	The Climate Change Programme 2006 and work on the UK Adaptation Policy Framework lay out a clear framework for action, and signalled a step change in the recognition given to land managers in addressing climate change. The Government will continue to fund research to support this work on impacts and adaptation, particularly through the UK Climate Impacts Programme which is conducting ongoing work to provide scenarios to show how our climate might change and co-ordinating research on dealing with our future climate. We are also considering the scope for establishing an innovation centre for climate change and agriculture to lead and foster research partnerships with relevant UK farming and food interests, and in particular drawing on the experience and systems from regions in climate conditions the UK may face in the future.

Common Agricultural Policy

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of  (a) the difference between UK and world prices for agricultural food products as a proxy for the cost to the UK consumer of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and  (b) the notional UK contribution to CAP expenditure, broken down by (i) commodity and (ii) European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund spending sector.

Barry Gardiner: We can estimate the UK consumer cost of the CAP by comparing the difference between UK and world prices for agricultural products and applying that difference to the volume of UK consumption. Our latest provisional estimate, for 2004, shows a cost of the CAP to UK consumers of around 4 billion.
	The UK contributes to the total EU budget and not to its individual components; however, we can calculate a notional UK contribution to the CAP. We estimate that, in 2004, this notional cost to UK taxpayers of expenditure through the CAP budget was around 3.7 billion (after a notional agricultural abatement).
	We do not have estimates of the notional UK contribution to spending on individual agricultural commodity sectors. However, the following table provides a breakdown of CAP the level and share of expenditure by commodity and CAP Pillar.
	
		
			  CAP expenditure by commodity and pillar, 2004 
			million  Share (Percentage) 
			 Arable crops 17,297 39 
			 Sugar 1,284 3 
			 Olive oil 2,372 5 
			 Fruits and vegetables 1,573 4 
			 Wine 1,092 2 
			 Tobacco 929 2 
			 Other vegetable products 1,534 3 
			 Milk 1,993 4 
			 Beef 7,776 17 
			 Sheep and goats 1,470 3 
			 Pigmeat, eggs and poultry meat 173 0 
			 Other animal products 24 0 
			 Other 782 2 
			 Rural development 6,462 14 
			 Total 44,761 100 
			  Source: European Commission, (2005) 34th Financial Report on The Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.

Dairy Co-operatives

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what publicly-funded incentives exist for dairy farmers to set-up supplier co-operatives.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 24 July 2006
	A number of dairy co-operatives already exist in Great Britain. The three largest supply around 40 per cent. of raw milk in the UK, process approximately 25 per cent. of the GB milk supply, and between them have over 8,000 farmer members.
	Advice and practical assistance to farmers who wish to establish co-operatives or other forms of collaborative enterprises is available from English Farming and Food Partnerships (EFFP). EFFP was set up in line with a recommendation by the Policy Commission for the establishment of a body responsible for encouraging and supporting collaborative activity in England. Its activities are part funded by Government.
	Co-operation and collaboration benefiting primary producers is one of the Government's stated priorities for the award of grants under the Agricultural Development Scheme.
	In the consultation on the priorities for the next Rural Development Programme for England (2007-13) we proposed that support for the promotion and encouragement of greater collaboration and co-operation between producers should be an activity that the next Programme should support. We are currently considering how to reflect the responses to the consultation in the development of the Programme.

Development (South-East)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research  (a) has been completed and  (b) is planned into the effect on the environment of (i) existing, (ii) extended and (iii) new developments for London and the South East in the period 2020 to 2050, with particular reference to (A) transport, (B) land use and (C) biodiversity; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra has not carried out any research in to the environmental impacts of development in London and the South East for the period 2020 to 2050, and none is currently planned.
	Defra and DCLG commissioned the consultants Entec to model the environmental impacts of the original levels of increased housing supply proposed in Kate Barker's review of housing supply. The report, entitled: A sustainability impact study of additional housing scenarios in England was published in December 2005- and was used to inform the comprehensive package of environmental measures that was announced as part of the Government's response to the Barker review. However, the period for this study was from 2006-31, and the findings were not location specific. This study investigated a wide range of environmental impacts including land take, but did not consider transport or biodiversity impacts. The report can be found on the DCLG website.

Domestically Produced Food

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of food consumed in the UK was produced in the UK in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: The following table shows UK self sufficiency in food as a percentage of all food and indigenous food.
	Self-sufficiency is calculated as the value of production of raw food divided by the value of raw food for human consumption.
	
		
			   UK self sufficiency in food as a percentage of: 
			   all food  indigenous type food 
			 1997 68.2 81.6 
			 1998 67.4 81.8 
			 1999 67.5 81.5 
			 2000 66.6 80.1 
			 2001 62.7 75.1 
			 2002 62.4 75.5 
			 2003 63.5 76.7 
			 2004 61.9 74.6 
			 2005 60.0 73.3

Electric Shock Collars

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the Government will carry out an investigation into the use of electric shock collars as a training aid for dogs; and if he will use such research to assess the merits of banning their use.

Ben Bradshaw: We recognise that future research into electric shock collars is a priority. The Department has recently circulated a new call for research, in the form of a Limited Tender Call, with the aim of taking forward any research on or after April 2007. The aim is to obtain independent scientific evidence so that a decision can be taken as to whether or not there is a need for regulation in this area.
	We have also asked the Companion Animal Welfare Council, in its role as advisory body to the Government on companion animal welfare matters, to undertake an independent study of available evidence on the use of electronic training devices. The outcome of this study will help inform Defra policy and will complement any separate research that Defra commissions into these devices.
	If regulation were considered necessary there would be a full public consultation before any regulations were drafted and put to Parliament. All research into these areas commissioned by the Government will be put in the public domain.

Energy Crops

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support for growers of  (a) miscanthus and  (b) other energy crops will be provided after 31 July 2006.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA is currently considering how best to support energy crops under the new Rural Development Programme (RDP), which will come into operation in 2007. The RDP is a national programme but is part funded by the EU, so it will need to comply with the provisions of the EU Rural Development Regulation (RDR). Therefore, DEFRA is also in discussions with the Commission on how support for Energy Crops can continue under the RDP in 2007 and beyond.
	The EU's annual 45 per hectare Energy Aid payment is available to farmers for purpose-grown energy crops grown on non set-aside land. Farmers can also receive the single payment for purpose-grown energy crops on set-aside or where the EU's 45 per hectare energy aid payment is claimed for crops on non set-aside land.
	Support for energy crops is also provided by Research and Development funding from DEFRA. This underpins an expansion in the commercial breeding programme. The aim is to double the output of new varieties by developing crops with maximised yield and resistance to fungal diseases and pests.

Energy Efficiency

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much energy his Department estimates would be saved if all homes that needed it were insulated.

Ian Pearson: We estimate that if all homes received all cost-effective insulation measures (such as loft and cavity wall insulation) where appropriate, the maximum energy savings would be around 240 peta joules (PJ). For comparison, current energy consumption from all UK housing is around 2,000 PJ, so the saving is around 12 per cent.
	However, in practice households are likely to take some of the savings as comfort (for example, higher internal temperatures), which would reduce the savings accordingly. If comfort taking is assumed to be 30 per cent., the energy savings would be around 160 PJ.

Energy Efficiency

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why his Department has revised the energy savings calculations for  (a) light bulbs and  (b) insulation.

Ian Pearson: Revisions were made in the light of new information arising from monitoring and modelling projects. Full details were published under the energy efficiency commitment (EEC) section of the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energy/ eec/pdf/measuremix.pdf in February 2005.
	For light bulbs, the new factors were the use of an average saving across different bulb wattages and different bulb types; recognition that most households were now likely to have at least one compact fluorescent lamp, most probably in the most heavily-used light fitting, so the annual hours of use for new installations would now be shorter than before (thereby reducing the annual savings); and allowance for the heat replacement effect.
	For insulation, monitoring projects had indicated that actual energy savings were rather lower than expected from models. Additionally, in practice, the extent of the fillable cavity was somewhat smaller than the external wall area. Pending the outcome of further monitoring, the energy (and carbon) savings were slightly reduced. DEFRA has a continuing programme of monitoring and research to keep the savings from different measures as up to date as possible.

Energy Efficiency

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make an assessment of the rate of return to energy efficiency schemes supported by the Department including social benefits; and if he will make an assessment of the private rate of return and payback period for private individuals who benefit from such schemes.

Ian Pearson: For the first phase of the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC1), the estimated Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for the scheme as a whole was around 30 per cent. excluding the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) and the value of air quality improvements. It was over 35 per cent. if these were included. The returns for the current phase are expected to be slightly lower, since the quick wins have now been acted on.
	The corresponding IRR for a private individual benefiting from EEC will depend on the measure installed, and the particular incentive offered by the energy supplier. The Energy Saving Trust has information on typical benefits and costs charged to consumers under the scheme, and we have used this information for the following two examples.
	For cavity wall insulation, using today's prices, the IRR is 45-50 per cent. and the payback period just over two years. The corresponding figures for a pack of four low energy lamps, using the savings assumptions for EEC2 (see www.defra.gov.uk/environment/energv/eec/pdf/measuremix.pdf) are 80-90 per cent. and 14 months.

Energy Efficiency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost was of the warm front and energy efficiency schemes in each year since 2000; and how much was spent on (a) grants,  (b) promotion and advertising and  (c) administration in each year.

Ian Pearson: A full response to this question could be made only at disproportionate cost.

Environment Agency

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  by what percentage the Environment Agency has been asked to reduce its spending from the original level allocated for 2006-07;
	(2)  pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Reading West (Martin Salter) Oral Answer of 20 July 2006,  Official Report, column 445, on the Environment Agency (grant in aid), by what amount the Environment Agency has been asked to reduce its budget in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether the budget for flood defences is to be changed; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: As part of the Spending Review 04 settlement, the Environment Agency was given an increased indicative grant in aid budget for 2006-07 of 573 million. However, following the initial budget setting exercise for 2006-07 this figure was reduced by 0.77 per cent. This amounts to a 4.4 million reduction.
	A budget review exercise is under way which is examining expenditure across the whole of DEFRA. No final decisions have yet been taken. Meanwhile, consultation is taking place with Environment Agency to evaluate the budget review proposals and options.

Environmental Budget Lines

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have been requested in the budget allocations for environmental budget lines in his Department.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA is committed to living within its overall budget for 2006-07 as voted by Parliament. At present there is a budget review exercise under way which is examining expenditure across the whole of DEFRA. No final decisions have yet been taken and these are expected to be made by early August. Meanwhile consultation is taking place between the Department's Environment Directorate General and its delivery partners, including the Environment Agency, to evaluate the budget review proposals and options.

Environmental Noise

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish the responses to the consultation on proposals for transposition and implementation of Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise.

Ben Bradshaw: Copies of the responses will be made publicly available during the summer, through the Defra Information Resource Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Ergon House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. I also will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

EU Directives

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to his Department was of implementing and administering EU directives, regulations and policies in 2005-06.

Ian Pearson: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department, but by the management units responsible for the policy areas concerned. Disaggregated costs could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

EU Legislation

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department issues  (a) advice and  (b) instructions to the Scottish Executive on the implementation of EU legislation in Scotland.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 19 July 2006
	Implementation of EU legislation is a matter for the Scottish Executive, in those areas which are devolved, by the Scotland Act 1998. The Department offers advice on implementation, when asked to do so by the Executive.

Farm Incomes

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the trend in the level of farm incomes over the last five years.

Barry Gardiner: Farm incomes for England in the past five years are given in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Net farm income by farm type ( 1) , England 2000-01 to 2004-05 
			   2000-01 ( 2) 2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Nominal Terms Cereals 7,500 5,900 13,200 36,400 15,600 
			 General Cropping 18,600 17,500 15,600 56,800 32,200 
			 Horticulture 21,600 35,400 34,600 40,600 28,400 
			 Dairy 14,000 30,900 16,400 23,600 26,400 
			 Grazing livestock (Lowland) -400 -100 6,400 7,100 5,400 
			 Grazing livestock (Less Favoured Area) 5,900 7,400 17,700 15,000 13,400 
			 Pigs 42,100 21,600 25,300 34,400 25,100 
			 Poultry 30,300 26,700 97,100 53,200 89,700 
			 Mixed 7,600 4,500 11,400 24,400 16,400 
			 All types 10,600 14,900 16,600 29,500 21,200 
			 (1) Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital of the business. (2) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory foot and mouth disease cull.  Source:  Farm Business Survey (FBS)

Farm Incomes

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average annual income was of  (a) farms and  (b) hill farms in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Cumbria, and (iii) Westmorland and Lonsdale in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: Farm incomes for England since 1997 are given in the table as follows. Grazing livestock (less favoured area) is equivalent to hill farms
	
		
			  Net farm income( 1)  by farm type, England 1997-08 to 2004-05 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01 ( 2) 2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Nominal Terms 
			 Cereals 18,400 8,400 15,300 7,500 5,900 13,200 36,400 15,600 
			 General Cropping 20,000 35,800 7,400 18,600 17,500 15,600 56,800 32,200 
			 Horticulture 22,000 22,500 20,100 21,600 35,400 34,600 40,600 28,400 
			 Dairy 19,700 11,600 9,200 14,000 30,900 16,400 23,600 26,400 
			 Grazing Livestock (Less Favoured Area) 12,700 6,200 5,600 5,900 7,400 17,700 15,000 13,400 
			 Grazing Livestock (Lowland) 2,200 1,700 500 -400 -100 6,400 7,100 5,400 
			 Pigs 14,400 -40,000 -10,900 42,100 21,600 25,300 34,400 25,100 
			 Poultry 24,200 22,800 5,000 30,300 26,700 97,100 53,200 89,700 
			 Mixed 6,400 4,100 7,200 7,600 4,500 11,400 24,400 16,400 
			 All types 15,200 11,500 8,700 10,600 14,900 16,600 29,500 21,200 
			 (1) Net farm income is defined as the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and on the tenant type capital of the business. (2) Excluding farms subjected to compulsory foot and mouth disease cull.  Source:  Farm Business Survey (FBS) 
		
	
	Farm incomes for Cumbria since 2002-03 are given in the following table. Data are not available for Westmorland and Lonsdale.
	
		
			  Net farm income by farm type, Cumbria 2002-03 to 2004-05 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			  Nominal terms
			 Cereals (1) (1) (1) 
			 General Cropping (1) (1) (1) 
			 Horticulture (1) (1) (1) 
			 Dairy 5,000 20,000 22,000 
			 Grazing Livestock (Less Favoured Area) 20,000 17,000 20,000 
			 Grazing Livestock (Lowland) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Mixed (1) (1) (1) 
			 All types 16,600 29,500 21,200 
			 (1) Too few observations in the sample to give reliable estimates Welsh data is a matter for the devolved administration  Source:  Farm Business Survey (FBS) 
		
	
	Welsh data are a matter for the devolved administration.

Farm Payments

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of farms had not had their single farm payments validated on the latest date for which figures are available.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 27 June 2006
	As of 20 July 2006, 22,385 applications, representing 19.2 per cent. of the estimated total claimant population for the Single Payment Scheme 2005 had not been fully validated. Of that number some 14,640 claimants had received a partial payment.

Farm Payments

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what additional costs have been incurred due to the delays in making the single farm payment; whether the additional funds will be met from the Department's budget; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Additional costs, in the form of reduced EU funding, may arise in relation to payments under the 2005 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) which are made after the end of the regulatory payment window on 30 June 2006.
	However, it is too early to say whether such costs will arise in practice as that depends on the outcome of on-going discussions with the European Commission and the amount and timing of outstanding SPS payments across the UK.

Farm Payments

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, column 163W, on single farm payments, how much additional funding has been made available; which key rural organisations have received the funding; for what specific purposes it will be used; how much extra money has been made available to organisations which primarily support Cumbrian farmers; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 19 June 2006
	The additional funding amounted to 115,000, which has been made available to the Rural Stress Information Network, Farm Crisis Network, Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, ARC-Addington and The Samaritans in order to boost their capacity, e.g. in terms of staff and IT, to help farmers facing cash-flow problems. The Department does not hold figures on the regional breakdown of this expenditure

Farm Payments

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many claims under the Single Payment Scheme were submitted by 15 June; what the value is; and what proportion this represents of claims for entitlements made in 2005.

Barry Gardiner: By close of business on 15 June 2006 110,176 applications for the Single Payment Scheme had been received by the Rural Payments Agency.
	Until all of these claims have been entered onto our computer system we will not be able to establish the value of such claims, or the proportion this represents of entitlements established in 2005.

Farming

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were employed in  (a) dairy farming,  (b) beef farming,  (c) sheep farming,  (d) arable farming,  (e) mixed farming and  (f) other forms of farming in Cornwall in (i) 1980, (ii) 1990, (iii) 2000 and (iv) 2005.

Ian Pearson: The number of full and part time employees (including salaried managers and casual workers) on holdings by farm type (based on predominant activity) in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are as follows:
	
		
			  Farm type  1990  2000  2005 
			 Cereals 116 156 160 
			 General Cropping 609 722 538 
			 Horticulture 744 1,589 957 
			 Pigs and Poultry 247 103 99 
			 Dairy 1,676 1,010 855 
			 Cattle and Sheep (Less Favoured Areas) 306 173 n/a 
			 Grazing Livestock (Less Favoured Areas) n/a n/a 186 
			 Cattle and Sheep (Lowland) 832 635 n/a 
			 Grazing Livestock (Lowland) n/a n/a 538 
			 Mixed 669 447 379 
			 Other Types 244 169 212 
			 All types 5,443 5,004 3,924 
		
	
	The number of full and part-time farmers, partners, directors and spouses (if working) on holdings by farm type in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are as follows:
	
		
			  Farm type  1990  2000  2005 
			 Cereals 229 467 473 
			 General Cropping 458 326 389 
			 Horticulture 715 783 841 
			 Pigs and Poultry 210 304 538 
			 Dairy 2,931 2,073 1,748 
			 Cattle and Sheep (Less favoured Areas) 963 725 n/a 
			 Grazing Livestock (Less favoured Areas) n/a n/a 797 
			 Cattle and Sheep (Lowland) 2,700 3,094 n/a 
			 Grazing Livestock (Lowland) n/a n/a 3,069 
			 Mixed 989 1,008 1,188 
			 Other Types 866 1,830 1,372 
			 All types 10,061 10,610 10,415 
			  Notes: 1. Data for 1980 are not available  2. 1990 data are for main holdings only, 2000 onwards contains main and minor holdings. A minor holding needs to conform to all of the following: (a) the total area is less than 6 hectares (b) there is no regular whole-time farmer or worker (c) the estimated annual labour requirement is less than 100 days (of 8 hours productive work by an adult worker under average conditions) (d) the glasshouse area is less than 100 square metres (e) the occupier does not farm another building.  3. Changes in farm type classifications mean figures for the cattle and sheep and grazing livestock categories are not directly comparable across the years.   Source:  June Agricultural Survey

Flood Risk

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to review flood defences in Robertsbridge, East Sussex; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Flood defences in Robertsbridge will be reviewed within the River Rother and Romney Marsh Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP). This plan will set policy and inform future flood risk management investment in the Robertsbridge area for the next 100 years. The CFMP is currently being produced and will be completed by September 2007.

Flood Risk

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the change in the number of homes at risk from flooding as a result of  (a) new homes built in 2006 and  (b) building developments already identified and underway; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) leads on development planning policy. DCLG has publicly consulted on strengthening this policy in a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 25 which will help manage future flood risks in a sustainable way. DCLG is aiming to publish revised guidance and related changes to the planning system in autumn 2006. The Environment Agency is funded by DEFRA to advise planning authorities on development proposals to ensure flood risk is properly taken into account.
	Figures on the number of homes constructed in 2006 or currently under construction are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Fly-tipping

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  pursuant to the Answers of 6 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 418-25W and 16 June 2005,  Official Report, column 552W, on fly-tipping, if he will provide the information for the most recent year for which figures are available;
	(2)  pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2005,  Official Report, columns 680-5W, on fly-tipping, if he will provide the most recent information he has in the same format; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Data from Flycapture, the national fly-tipping database, for 2005-06 are currently being analysed and will be published on 31 July 2006. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Fly-tipping

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fly-tipping incidents there were in  (a) South East Cambridgeshire and  (b) Cambridgeshire in each year since 2000, broken down by the nature of that waste.

Ben Bradshaw: DEFRA has worked with the Environment Agency to establish Flycapture, the national fly-tipping database, which has been operational since April 2004. No national data were previously available on illegal waste disposal or fly-tipping.
	Flycapture collects summary data at local authority level only. The data requested for the relevant local authorities are provided in the following tables:
	
		
			   Cambridge  East Cambridgeshire  Fenland 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2004-05  2005-06  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Animal Carcass   29 30 7 1 
			 Green 16 26 95 119 89 113 
			 Vehicle Parts 45 61 15 11 145 153 
			 White Goods 173 216 67 64 58 74 
			 Other Electrical 11 38 47 34 72 71 
			 Tyres 1 4 71 39 168 204 
			 Asbestos   3 4 1 11 
			 Clinical 1 55   4  
			 Construction, Demolition, Excavation 26 21 15 8 147 214 
			 Black Bags Commercial 24 67 1 1 4 7 
			 Black Bags Household 46 148 171 186 134 283 
			 Chemical Drums, Oil, Fuel 2 2 4 1 66 64 
			 Other Household Waste 584 594 147 147 321 474 
			 Other Commercial Waste 19 18 2 7 46 107 
			 Other unidentified 49 71   75 32 
			 Total 997 1,321 667 651 1,337 1,808 
		
	
	
		
			   Huntingdonshire  South Cambridgeshire  Total 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2004-05  2005-06  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Animal Carcass 25 16 35 34 96 81 
			 Green 117 59 72 38 389 355 
			 Vehicle Parts 29 16 38 18 272 259 
			 White Goods 83 71 51 34 432 459 
			 Other Electrical 33 31 22 21 185 195 
			 Tyres 85 64 61 31 386 342 
			 Asbestos 4 2 5 7 13 24 
			 Clinical 6 1 2 6 13 62 
			 Construction, Demolition, Excavation 96 64 45 46 329 353 
			 Black Bags Commercial 3 5 37 28 69 108 
			 Black Bags Household 197 124 174 126 722 867 
			 Chemical Drums, Oil, Fuel 13 10 23 33 108 110 
			 Other Household Waste 139 98 76 43 1,267 1,356 
			 Other Commercial Waste 22 25 4 8 93 165 
			 Other unidentified  2 24 12 148 117 
			 Total 852 588 669 485 4,522 4,853

Genetic Use Restriction Technologies

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will  (a) publish and  (b) place in the Library the emerging research on the impacts of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies that was considered at the Convention on Biological Diversity in March.

Ian Pearson: All the documents considered by the eighth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity are available on the website of the Convention at:
	http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting. asp?lg=0mtg=cop-08.
	The Conference also considered several documents emanating from the Ad Hoc Open-ended Intersessional Working Group on Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which met from 23-27 January 2006, in Granada, Spain. The documents which relate to this earlier meeting are available at:
	http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=WG8J-04.

Genetic Use Restriction Technologies

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research the Government are  (a) funding and  (b) undertaking into the (i) ecological, (ii) economic, (iii) social and (iv) cultural impacts of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies.

Ian Pearson: On 22 June 2006, DEFRA published a review that considered possible methods for containing the spread of novel genes in Genetically Modified (GM) crop plants. This issue is of potential relevance to the risk assessment of new types of GM crop. The review is available on the DEFRA website at:
	www2.defra.gov.uk/research/project_data/More.asp?l=CB02036M=KWS V=CB02036SUBMIT1=SearchSCOPE=0.
	DEFRA is also part-funding an EU project called COEXTRA (GM and non-GM supply chainstheir coexistence and traceability). This aims to study bio containment technologies and will, among other things, examine their legal, social and ethical dimensions. The project is due to report in 2008.

Greyhounds

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues about the introduction of statutory regulations concerning animal welfare for the greyhound industry.

Ben Bradshaw: The outline of our proposals for secondary legislation, including the regulation of greyhound welfare, has been considered at Cabinet level.

Greyhounds

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what health risks are associated with the burial of dead greyhounds; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The landfilling of previously healthy dead greyhounds would not be expected to result in an increase in risks to health. Where greyhounds are buried (other than as private pets) the landfilling operation should be subject to regulation under a Pollution Prevention Control (PPC) permit, issued by the Environment Agency, which meets the environmental and health objectives of the Waste Framework Directive and the technical requirements of the Landfill Directive.

Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the transfer of Sites of Special Scientific Interest Wildlife Enhancement Scheme agreements into the Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Scheme.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 20 July 2006
	The Rural Development Service and English Nature are jointly managing a project to ensure the smooth transfer of sites from the Wildlife Enhancement Scheme into new management agreements with the aim of meeting the PSA target for 95 per cent. of SSSIs by area to be in 'favourable or recovering condition' by 2010. This has included identifying all sites where a transfer into the Higher Level of the Environmental Stewardship Scheme will be the appropriate land management agreement and setting a timetable for those transfers.
	In 2005-06 the interim target of 70 per cent. of SSSIs in 'favourable or recovering condition' was achieved. The project to manage transfer referred to above will continue to support progress towards the longer term target. Currently 25 per cent. of HLS agreements include land within a SSSI.

Ironbridge Power Station

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Environment Agency has imposed additional emission controls on Ironbridge Power Station since it commenced generating electricity from co-incineration.

Ian Pearson: The Ironbridge Power Station is regulated under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) authorisation has been issued by the Environment Agency to regulate emissions.
	In 2003, a variation to the authorisation was issued which imposed a number of conditions specifying the acceptable biomass raw materials to be co-fired with the main fuel, coal. The existing emission controls remained unchanged.
	The station is not regulated as a co-incineration plant as it does not burn waste materials to generate energy.

Judicial Review

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1285W, on judicial review, where the information is held; and how  (a) hon. Members and  (b) members of the public may have access to that information.

Barry Gardiner: Since 1 January 2006 the litigation team in DEFRA has maintained a database on which details of all judicial reviews against DEFRA are recorded. Prior to that date no central record was kept of the number or of the outcome of judicial reviews and therefore the information requested could only be obtained by recalling and examining all litigation files from the file store. If an hon. Member or member of the public wishes to pursue the outcome of any particular judicial review then a request can be made under the Freedom of Information Act and will be dealt with accordingly.
	Judicial review proceedings are commenced in the High Court. The proceedings are public proceedings. The High Court may maintain a record of the outcome all judicial review proceedings issued. The title of the proceedings will enable an inquirer to determine the identity of the defendant and a request made to see the final order or judgment. Many judicial review judgments are available on the Courts Service website or on http://www.bailii.org/databases.

Landfill

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much waste has been sent to landfill in the last 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: From 1997 to 2005, we landfilled an estimated total of 100.8 million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste. From 2001-02, which is the first year for which we have reliable figures, to 2004-05, we reduced the amount of that waste sent to landfill from 15.7 million tonnes to 13.9 million tonnes, thanks to the considerable efforts of the Government, local authorities and the public to recycle more waste.

Landfill

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to limit the amount of waste that goes to landfill.

Ben Bradshaw: Action to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill is driven by regional and local strategies and supported by nationally funded programmes.
	Less of most kinds of waste is being landfilled; the proportion of municipal waste being disposed of in landfill has continued to decrease from 72 per cent. in 2003-04, to 67 per cent. in 2004-05. The actual tonnage of municipal waste disposed of in landfill also decreased again from 20.9 million tonnes in 2003-04 to 19.9 million tonnes in 2004-05. In addition, England is on course to meet its 2005 targets of reducing the amount of commercial and industrial waste landfilled by 15 per cent. against the 1998 figures. However, we have more to do to meet our obligations under the landfill directive to reduce the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste.
	We are working towards challenging targets, but we are beginning to make progress towards them through higher recycling and composting rates for household waste, greater reuse of waste materials, plus work to reduce the amount of waste produced in the first instance.
	The Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, which we established in 2005, is the main measure to help us meet our obligations under the landfill directive to divert the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill.
	The continued increase in the rate of landfill tax (rising to 3 per tonne per year from 2005-06, until it reaches 35 per tonne in the medium to long term) is another important instrument in reducing our reliance on landfill and moving to more sustainable waste management options.
	Revenue from the additional landfill tax is, in turn, being fed into the Business Resource, Efficiency and Waste programme, which is returning 284 million to businesses over three years through resource efficiency and waste minimisation programmes. The programme ensures that while increased landfill tax incentivise businesses to reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill, the advice and assistance is available to them to develop ways to achieve this effectively.
	The revised Waste Strategy for England, which we will publish later this year, will outline what steps are being taken, and what more needs to be done, to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfill. The public, businesses and Government all have roles to play in following more sustainable waste management practices.

Lyme Bay

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of static gear fisheries, sea angling and diving on the local economy of communities around Lyme Bay; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Such an assessment has not yet been made. The South West Inshore Scallopers Association is commissioning a report from the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth on Options for the Spatial Management of Scallop Dredging Impacts on Hard Substrates in Lyme Bay. Part of the study will address these important issues.

Navigation Charges

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Environment Agency has made of the effect of its proposed increases in charges to boaters on their use of its navigations.

Barry Gardiner: Navigation supports Government objectives for health, recreation and social inclusion and plays an important role in flood relief. However, for waterways to remain sustainable in the future, boaters need to pay a fair and reasonable rate. The Environment Agency is currently in discussion with industry over what that rate might be.

Noise-related Complaints

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many noise abatement notices were served in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: We do not hold the information requested. Data held relating to noise abatement notices are compiled from voluntary returns from local authorities to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). They are recorded by year, but not location.
	The relevant data for 2004-05 for England and Wales are available from the ClEH's website at the following address:
	http://www.cieh.org/library/Knowledge/Environmental_protection/CIEH_annual_noise_complaint_statistics.pdf.

Noise-related Complaints

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many noise-related complaints have been lodged in each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many of these resulted in further action.

Ben Bradshaw: We do not hold the information requested. Data held relating to noise-related complaints are compiled from voluntary returns from local authorities to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). They are recorded by year, but not location.
	The relevant data for 2004-05 for England and Wales are available from the CIEH's website at http://www.cieh.org/library/Knowledge/Environmental_protection/CIEH_annual_noise_complaint_statistics.pdf.

Nuclear Waste

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department takes to ensure the safe disposal of nuclear waste.

Ian Pearson: The UK Government and devolved Administrations are committed to finding a solution to the problem of nuclear waste. Most radioactive waste is currently stored safely on major sites under licence from the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, and is subject to strict regulatory control. The environment agencies of the respective Administrations regulate any disposal of waste from nuclear sites.
	For higher and intermediate activity radioactive waste, future policy, and arrangements for implementing this, will be decided by the Government in light of the independent Committee for Radioactive Waste Management's (CoRWM's) final recommendations. CoRWM's report is due to be delivered to the Government at the end of this month and copies will be made available in the Libraries of the House. The Government will make a formal response to CoRWM's report after the summer recess, when the UK Parliament and devolved Administrations are sitting.
	Earlier this year, the Government held a public consultation on the long-term UK strategy for dealing with solid, low level radioactive waste. The results of this consultation are being considered and a statement will be made in the autumn.

One Planet Farming Concept

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to elaborate on his one planet farming concept; and how this concept will inform his attempts to renegotiate the Common Agricultural Policy.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for DEFRA, made clear in his speech at the Royal Show on 3 July that he wants to encourage a wide ranging debate about the vital role which farming plays in this country and the contribution it can make to one planet living. Working in partnership with key stakeholders, we expect thinking on this issue to develop in the coming months.
	An important starting point is the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy: Forward Look, available at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/pdf/sffs-fwd-060718.pdf
	The Forward Look sets out key areas that need to be taken forward to help achieve one planet farming, building on the excellent work that has already been put in place under the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy at a national and regional level. It has five priority themes: succeeding in the market; improving the environmental performance of farming; Sustainable consumption and production; climate change and agriculture and animal health and welfare.
	Reducing the environmental footprint of farming was one of the important aims of the last major reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2003. The reforms reduced the environmental impact of agriculture by decoupling subsidies from production, thereby removing an incentive to intensify production, and also by requiring cross compliance with environmental standards.
	The review of agri-environment schemes carried out in the light of the 2003 reforms has enabled us to build on the way we support farmers to change their farming methods to conserve biodiversity through the development of the Environmental Stewardship schemes.
	The Government's Vision for the CAP is consistent with, and complimentary to, the Secretary of State's goal of 'one planet farming'. The Vision considered agriculture from an environmental perspective (among others) setting out proposals for sustainable farming. In particular the Vision calls for more emphasis on Pillar 2 funding and the total phasing out of coupled payments. Both of these aims will help ensure the CAP secures further environmental benefits.

Organic Production

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many certification bodies are approved by his Department to inspect organic production and processing in the UK; and what checks are being made by his Department on these bodies to ensure that organic producers are complying with relevant UK and EU regulations.

Ian Pearson: There are 10 Certification Bodies approved to inspect organic production and processing in the UK.
	An Approved Certification Body must demonstrate that they satisfy the general requirements for the bodies operating product certification systems (EN45011). They are therefore subject to an annual inspection by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
	Reports from these inspections are then passed on to the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards (ACOS). Through ACOS, checks are made on a selection of Certification Body inspections to ensure that they are complying with the relevant UK and EU Regulations.

Pollution (Beaches)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department takes to encourage local authorities to deal with pollution on beaches.

Ian Pearson: Under section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse, local authorities must keep amenity beaches for which they are responsible generally clear of all types of litter and refuse between 1 May and 30 September inclusive. This duty extends to the place at which the tide flows at mean high water springs.
	The recently revised code recommends, as good practice, that duty bodies also carry out a regular monitoring programme of other beaches in their area and develop an appropriate cleansing regime. Under the current and revised European bathing water directive, there is a provision to monitor the presence of litter and other pollutants in identified bathing waters and to manage these accordingly.
	Beyond these requirements, local authorities are encouraged to keep beaches clean through the international Blue Flag Award administered in the UK by ENCAMS (Environmental Campaigns), and of the UK-wide ENCAMS Seaside Award scheme recognising clean, safe and well-managed beaches. Each year, local authorities can apply for a Blue Flag or Seaside Award, or both, for any of their beaches.
	Each application is independently assessed and must satisfy rigorous criteria covering a broad range of factors pertaining to the management of the beach. In 2006, 77 beaches in England were awarded the blue flag, and 229 beaches gained the seaside award.
	A new Quality Coast Award scheme is being introduced for applications from this year, to replace the Seaside Awards. This has been developed by ENCAMS with support from Defra, and will further assist and encourage local authorities in dealing with pollution on beaches through a holistic approach to the management of beach areas, recognising the diversity of beach environments and their different uses.

Post Office Network Services

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what services  (a) his Department and  (b) its associated public bodies (i) make available and (ii) have made available in the last five years through the Post Office network; through how many outlets the service is or was made available; and how many relevant transactions were undertaken in each case in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Barry Gardiner: From information held centrally, the core Department has no contracts with the Post Office.
	DEFRA does utilise the Post Office to issue Rod Licences and Game Licences. Rod licences are available from all Post Office outlets in England and Wales and, more recently, have been available in selected outlets on the Scottish border. Overall, the number of available outlets has decreased from 17,500 to 13,000 currently. Approximately 1.3 million rod licences are sold annually and the Post Office process just over 1 million annually. In 2005-06, the Post Office issued 1,067,663 rod licences at a total value of 16,338,105.75. Under the 1975 Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act, the Environment Agency provides remuneration to the Post Office for the issuance of such licences.
	Under section 134 of the Post Office Act 1969, the Post Office issues licences to take game and an excise licence is required to sell game on behalf of local authorities. Under section 135 of the 1969 Act, DEFRA provides remuneration to the Post Office for the issuance of such licences which are available through all branches of the Post Office. The total number of licences issued for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 were 42,310; 48,385; 66,975; 77,361 and 72,385 respectively. The figures cover licences issued in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Produce Prices

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average  (a) farm gate and  (b) retail price was of (i) one kilogram of (A) ham, (B) tomatoes, (C) strawberries, (D) apples, (E) grapes, (F) cheese, (G) chicken, (H) potatoes, (I) carrots, (J) lettuce, (K) spring onions and (L) beetroot, (ii) one pint of (A) milk, (B) cream and (C) yoghurt, (iii) one dozen eggs and (iv) one litre of English wine in each year since 1997, broken down by (1) organic and (2) conventionally produced foodstuffs.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 24 July 2006
	Soil Association guide prices for organic produce in 2005 are shown in table 1. The prices are taken from a range of direct, wholesale and contracted markets. Farm-gate and retail prices are shown in tables 2 and 3. It is not possible to separately identify organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs.
	
		
			  Table 1: Guide prices for organic produce in 2005 
			  Produce   
			 Pork(1) Per kilo deadweight 220-265 
			 Tomatoes n/a  
			 Strawberries(2) Per tonne 3000 
			 Apples(2) Per tonne 1000-1300 
			 Grapes n/a  
			 Cheese n/a  
			 Chicken Contract(1) Per bird 130 
			 Chicken retail(1) Per kilo 500+ 
			 Potatoes(2) Per tonne 210-320 
			 Carrots(2) Per tonne 290-550 
			 Lettuce(1) Per head 34-55 
			 Spring onions n/a  
			 Beetroot n/a  
			 Milk n/a  
			 Cream n/a  
			 Yoghurt n/a  
			 Eggs contract(1) Per dozen 116-145 
			 Eggs retail(1) Per dozen 250-300 
			 English wine n/a  
			 n/a = Not available (1 )In pence (p) (2 )In pounds () (3 )Estimated farm-gate price  Source:  Soil Association Organic Market Report 2006 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Farm-gate prices 
			  Produce  Pence (p)  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Pigs Per kilo 111 81 79 94 98 93 103 103 103 
			 Tomatoes(1) Per kilo 55 60 58 75 72 79 104 75 87 
			 Strawberries Per kilo 209 214 210 225 220 244 244 208 199 
			 Apples Per kilo 53 48 44 36 35 39 46 36 35 
			 Grapes n/a  
			 Cheese n/a  
			 Chicken(2) n/a   86 93 96 
			 Potatoes (all) Per kilo 7 12 12 8 11 8 10 12 10 
			 Carrots Per kilo 11 14 14 10 21 20 21 19 23 
			 Lettuce Per kilo 66 55 59 53 69 68 74 58 60 
			 Spring onions Per kilo 126 120 113 113 136 129 127 125 124 
			 Beetroot Per kilo 14 16 16 15 19 26 30 30 29 
			 Milk Per litre 22 19 18 17 19 17 18 18 18 
			 Cream Per litre  
			 Yogurt Per litre  
			 Eggs Per dozen 39 36 34 39 41 42 46 49 45 
			 English wine n/a  
			 n/a = Not available (1 )Round, vine, plum and cherry (2 )Prior to 2003  Source: DEFRA 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Retail prices 
			  Produce  Pence (p)  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Ham Per kilo 805 770 770 770 841 796 799 793 1000 
			 Tomatoes Per kilo 117 123 124 150 125 140 149 129 142 
			 Strawberries n/a  
			 Apples (dessert) Per kilo 112 106 103 108 116 121 127 125 118 
			 Grapes Per kilo 289 306 291 289 312 302 303 294 281 
			 Cheese (cheddar type) Per kilo 525 500 484 505 510 524 548 567 550 
			 Chicken (Fresh or Chilled) Per kilo 236 226 220 223 227 224 228 232 230 
			 Potatoes (new) Per kilo 55 77 71 70 87 87 89 96 84 
			 Carrots Per kilo 49 53 49 45 61 55 55 57 64 
			 Lettuce iceberg) Each 63 56 66 55 67 64 73 60 72 
			 Spring onions n/a  
			 Beetroot n/a  
			 Milk (whole pasteurised)(1) Per litre(2) 62 60 60 60 65 63 65 62 61 
			 Cream n/a  
			 Yoghurt n/a  
			 Eggs (size 4) Per dozen 138 131 138 138 152 152 154 155 155 
			 English wine n/a  
			 n/a = Not available (1 )Average for 1 litre of shop bought and 1 litre of delivered milk  Source: Office for National Statisticsaverage retail prices

Public Appointments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many public appointments are within his patronage; what  (a) salary and  (b) other emoluments are attached to each; and what the comparable figures were in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986 and (iii) 1996.

Barry Gardiner: The number of Ministerial appointees on each of Defra's NDPBs and public corporations and the remuneration and other emoluments they receive (as at 31 March 2006) are as follows.
	
		
			  Body  Type of appointee  Remuneration ()  Other emoluments () 
			 Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances Chair 205 per day 0 
			  11 members 153 per day 0 
			 
			 Advisory Committee on Organic Standards Chair 209 per meeting 0 
			  12 members 165 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Advisory Committee on Packaging Chair Unpaid 0 
			  8 members Unpaid 0 
			 
			 Advisory Committee on Pesticides Chair 204 per meeting 0 
			  Member 161 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Advisory Committee on Releases into the Environment Chair 203 per meeting 0 
			  10 members 157 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees 15 chairs 121 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Agricultural Land Tribunals 7 Chairs 331 per day 0 
			  10 Deputy Chairs 331 per day 0 
			  154 members Unpaid Financial Loss Allowance56.96 full day 
			 
			 Agricultural Wages Board Chair 254 per day 64 Reading allowance 
			  4 Members 158 per day 40 Reading allowance 
			 
			 Agricultural Wages Committees 7 Chairs 121 per day 0 
			  3 Deputy Chairs 96 per day 0 
			  14 members 96 per day 0 
			 
			 Air Quality Expert Group Chair 199 per day 0 
			  13 Members 154 per day 0 
			 
			 Animal Health and Welfare Strategy England Implementation Group Chair 500 per day 250 preparation allowance 
			  12 members 300 per day 150 preparation allowance 
			 
			 British Potato Council Chair 61,784 per annum 0 
			  14 Members 102 per meeting 0 
			 
			 British Waterways Chair 51,000 per annum Pensionable Post 
			  Deputy Chair 14,440 per annum 0 
			  7 members 10,948 per annum 0 
			 
			 Committee on Radioactive Waste Management Chair 450 per day 0 
			  Deputy 300 per day 0 
			  11 members 300 per day 0 
			 
			 Commons Commissioners Chairs 435 per day 0 
			  1 'member' 337 per day 0 
			 
			 Consumer Council for Water Chair 45,000 per annum  
			  4 members 7,000 per annum 0 
			  4 members 21, 529 per annum 0 
			  2 members 32,292 per annum 0 
			 
			 Countryside Agency Chair 66,254 per annum Pensionable Posts 
			  9 members 12,495 per annum 0 
			  6 members 14,280 per annum 0 
			  1 member 46,408 per annum 0 
			 
			 Covent Garden Market Authority Chair 45,802 per annum 0 
			  7 members 8,921 per annum 0 
			 
			 Darwin Advisory Committee Chair Unpaid 0 
			  10 members Unpaid 0 
			 
			 English Nature Chair 53,044 per annum Pensionable post 
			  11 members 8,925 per annum 0 
			  1 member 10,710 per annum 0 
			 
			 Environment Agency Chair 91, 456 per annum 0 
			  Deputy Chair 30,940 per annum 0 
			  2 members 15,245 per annum 0 
			  3 members 19,057 per annum 0 
			  4 members 22,868 per annum 0 
			  2 members 26,679 per annum 0 
			 
			 Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards Chair 194 per day 0 
			  10 members 149 per day 0 
			 
			 Farm Animal Welfare Council Chair 209 per meeting 0 
			  23 Members 129 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Food From Britain Chair 50,730 per annum 0 
			  12 members 1,800 per annum Board members also receive 225 per day for chairing subcommittees or representing the board. Total of 8 days shared between 3 members in 2005-06 
			 
			 Gangmasters Licensing Authority Chair 300 per day 0 
			  14 members 57 per day 0 
			 
			 Home Grown Cereals Authority Chair 25,833 per annum 0 
			  Deputy Chair 8,934 per annum 0 
			  14 members 1,446 per annum 0 
			 
			 Horticulture Development Council Chair 35,358 per annum 0 
			  14 members 102 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel 44 members 162 per day 0 
			 
			 Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB Chair 190 per day 0 
			  Deputy Chair 157 per day 0 
			  5 members 157 per day 0 
			 
			 Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council Chair 203 per day 0 
			  Deputy Chair Unpaid 0 
			  12 Members Unpaid 0 
			 
			 Joint Nature Conservation Committee Chair 36,347 per annum Pensionable post 
			  3 members 8,925 per annum 0 
			 
			 Meat and Livestock Commission Chair 81,417 per annum 0 
			  Deputy Chair 20,961 per annum 0 
			  5 Members 10,481 per annum 0 
			  1 member 17,820 per annum 0 
			  1 member 10,481 per annum 6,000 for chairing MLC Board of Pension Trustees 
			  1 member 10,481 per annum 45,000 for chairing the English Beef and Lamb Executive 
			  1 member 10,481 per annum 12,000 for chairing the British Pig Executive 
			 
			 Milk Development Council Chair 33,999 per annum 0 
			  10 members 150 per day 0 
			 
			 National Forest Company Chair 15,694 per annum 0 
			  7 members 2,807 per annum 0 
			 
			 Nirex CLG Ltd. Chair 450 per day 0 
			 
			 Pesticide Residues Committee Chair 163 per meeting 0 
			  8 members 125 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Plant Variety and Seeds Tribunal 10 members 162 per day 0 
			 
			 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Chair Unpaid 0 
			  10 members Unpaid 0 
			 
			 Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution Chair 237 per day 0 
			  13 members 209 per day 0 
			 
			 Science Advisory Council Chair 308 per meeting 150 preparation fee 
			  Deputy Chair 200 per meeting 100 preparation fee 
			  10 Members 200 per meeting 100 preparation fee 
			 
			 Sea Fish Industry Authority Chair 27,475 per annum 0 
			  Deputy Chair 19,083 per annum 0 
			  10 members 8,703 per annum 0 
			 
			 Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee Chair 163 per day 0 
			  12 members 129 per day 0 
			 
			 Sustainable Development Commission Chair 15,000 per annum 0 
			  5 members 3,570 per annum 0 
			  8 members 2,675 per annum 0 
			 
			 Veterinary Products Committee Chair 167 per meeting 0 
			  27 members 133 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Veterinary Residues Committee Chair 204 per meeting 0 
			  12 Members 167 per meeting 0 
			 
			 Wine Standards Board Chair 4,576 per annum 0 
			  3 members 1,124 per annum 0 
			 
			 Zoos Forum Chair Unpaid 0 
			  Deputy Chair Unpaid 0 
			  8 members Unpaid 0 
		
	
	Defra is also responsible for an additional six public bodies that are currently dormant and do not, therefore have any appointees.
	Details of the value of pensions and any contributions made by the public bodies are available in their respective annual report and accounts.
	Defra was established in 2001 and therefore there is no equivalent information for 1996, 1986 or 1976.

Recycling

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which 20 local councils recycled the greatest quantity of one or more recyclable materials in 2005-06.

Ben Bradshaw: Data on local authority recycling and composting performances in 2005-06 are not currently available. Figures will be published when we have completed the validation and auditing procedures. Best value performance indicator data for 2004-05 are available from the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/localauth/perf_mgmt.htm.

Recycling

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in  (a) England,  (b) Middlesbrough and  (c) the borough of Redcar and Cleveland have been (i) issued with a fixed penalty notice under section 47ZA and (ii) prosecuted under section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for failing to meet their local authority's recycling requirements.

Ben Bradshaw: Section 47ZA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA), as inserted by section 48 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, allows authorised officers to issue a 100 fixed penalty notice (FPN) to any householder not complying with a notice issued under section 46-47 of the EPA.
	Local authorities can also prosecute householders for breaches of section 46 of the EPA. This offence carries a maximum fine of 1,000.
	The powers exist to help ensure publicised collection arrangements are followed and waste is not left out on the wrong day, at the wrong time or in the wrong receptacleincluding those designated for recyclables.
	The FPN powers have been in force since 6 April 2006. Data for the number of people issued with an FPN, under the amended EPA are not yet available. Data on prosecutions taken since the amendments, under section 46, will be available in 2007.

Rural Payments Agency

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the overruns in the budget allocation for farming, food and rural affairs in 2006-07 following the problems at the Rural Payments Agency.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA is committed to living within its overall budget for 2006-07 as voted by Parliament. As a fundamental action in managing the annual budget the Department periodically reviews its internal allocations to ensure that priorities and pressures receive adequate budgetary cover.

Rural Payments Agency

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Secretary of State has suggested to the Treasury that overruns resulting from problems at the Rural Payments Agency should be met from the Government's overall contingency reserve.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA is committed to staying within its budget for 2006-07. It is not anticipated that we need to approach HM Treasury for help with our ability to manage the annual budget.

Security Passes

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in his Department in each year since February 2004.

Ian Pearson: The following table shows passes lost and stolen from core DEFRA and its agencies since 2004. Figures for 2006 are from 1 January to date.
	
		
			   Lost  Stolen 
			  DEFRA Core Department   
			 2004 152 18 
			 2005 147 11 
			 2006 83 8 
			
			  Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science   
			 2004 20 1 
			 2005 20 2 
			 2006 3 0 
			
			  Central Science Laboratory   
			 2004 15 0 
			 2005 8 2 
			 2006 5 1 
			
			  Veterinary Laboratories Agency   
			 2004 7 0 
			 2005 28 4 
			 2006 11 0 
			
			  Rural Payments Agency   
			 2004 19 2 
			 2005 9 0 
			 2006 40 4 
			
			  Veterinary Medicines Directorate   
			 2004 6 0 
			 2005 10 0 
			 2006 5 0

Ship Breaking

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets he has set for the number of authorised ship-breaking facilities to be established in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: On 30 March, Defra launched a consultation to enable interested individuals and organisations to provide views on the Government's draft UK Ship Recycling Strategy. The deadline for responses was 22 June.
	The draft strategy does not set a target for the number of ship breaking facilities in the UK, as the establishment of such facilities is a matter for commercial decision. Nevertheless, the Government's strategy proposes a number of areas of action at the domestic level to assist in the expansion of ship recycling capacity, primarily through the provision of guidance. Further information is available on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/ strategy/ship.htm.

Smog

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the major causes of smog in London; and what plans the Government have to reduce them;
	(2)  what Government targets his Department has set for smog levels in  (a) London and  (b) England.

Ben Bradshaw: Hot, sunny weather, together with contributions from continental Europe carrying the substances which form ground-level ozone, can produce summer smog in London. Ground-level ozone is formed when sunlight acts on nitrogen dioxide and other atmospheric substances close to the ground. The pollutants that cause ground-level ozone come from a range of sources, including petrol and other fuels.
	Ozone is a transboundary pollutant (around 50 per cent. of ozone-forming chemicals in the UK originate from continental Europe). It can only be reduced through national and international measures to reduce emissions from the source pollutants. Through international co-operation, the peak levels of ozone have been reduced due to control measures taken in the UK and its European partners. While still a feature of hot sunny weather, the peak levels seen in 2003 were typically less than half those seen in 1976.
	New measures announced in recent years will improve this further by cutting ozone-forming chemicals in solvents and decorative paint across the whole of Europe. We are also pushing for greater EU controls on cars.
	We have consulted on measures for Petrol Vapour Recovery stage II (PVR II) which will also help by reducing emissions of ozone-forming chemicals. The proposal is that PVR II would, by 1 January 2010, be required to be installed at: (i) all existing service stations with an annual petrol throughput of greater than 3500m(3), and; (ii) all new service stations with an annual petrol throughput greater than 500m(3).
	The Air Quality Strategy for England was recently reviewed to find potential new measures to generate health benefits, and the consultation responses are now being considered. The possible package of measures would reduce the average exposure to air pollutants for everyone, and, if implemented, could see an increase in life-expectancy of three months by 2020.
	There are a number of targets for ozone which apply to the whole of the UK, including London. The EU Air Quality Daughter Directive on ozone (2002/3/EC) set a number of target values and long-term objectives for ozone; these are set out in the following tables. In addition, the National Emissions Ceilings Directive (2001/81/EC) set limits on the emissions of the ozone precursors, nitrogen oxides and non methane volatile organic compounds, at 1167 kilotonnes and 1200 kilotonnes respectively by 2010.
	
		
			   Parameter  Target value for 2010 
			 Target value for the protection of human health maximum daily 8 hour mean 120 micrograms per metre cubed not to be exceeded more than 25 days three years 
			 Target value for the protection of vegetation AOT40(1), calculated 1 hour values from May to July 18,000 micrograms per metre cubed hours averaged over  five years 
		
	
	
		
			   Parameter  Long-term objective 
			 Long-term objective for the protection of human health Maximum daily 8 hour mean 120 micrograms per metre cubed 
			 Long-term objective for the protection of vegetation AOT40(1), calculated from  1 hour values from May  to July 6,000 micrograms per metre cubed hours averaged over  five years 
			 (1) AOT40 = the sum of the difference between hourly concentrations greater than 80 micrograms per metre cubed and 80 micrograms per metre cubed over a given period using only the one hour values measured between 08:00 and 20:00.

Statutory Instruments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005.

Barry Gardiner: Since the beginning of October 2005, 14 DEFRA statutory instruments have been reported for defective drafting by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.
	Reports from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments contain full details of the statutory instruments which they have reported.

Supermarket Code of Practice

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the impact on farmers of the Supermarket Code of Practice.

Ian Pearson: The Supermarket Code of Practice concerns supermarkets' trading relationships with their immediate suppliers, relatively few of whom are farmers. Responsibility for the code rests with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
	The OFT carried out an extensive review of the operation of the code, including an audit on supermarkets' compliance with it, and consultations with suppliers and other interested parties. The conclusions of that review can be found in two reports published by the OFT in March and August 2005 respectivelySupermarkets: the code of practice and other competition issues and Supermarkets: the code of practice and other competition issues, Conclusions. Copies of these reports can be found on the OFT website.
	The Competition Commission has said that it plans to consider what impact the code has on relations between grocery retailers and their suppliers as part of its current investigation into the grocery market.

Supermarket Code of Practice

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions on the Supermarket Code of Practice he has had with  (a) the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry,  (b) farming organisations,  (c) supermarkets,  (d) retailer representatives and  (e) other relevant bodies.

Ian Pearson: Responsibility for the supermarket Code of Practice rests with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
	In recent months, this Department has not been involved in any substantive discussions on the code with the Department of Trade and Industry or any of the other bodies referred to in the question, although the subject may have arisen in the course of our normal contacts with them.
	On 2 June, Lord Rooker wrote to the Competition Commission suggesting, among other things, that it look at the effectiveness of the code as part of its investigation into the grocery market. A copy of the letter is available in the Library of this House.

Trout Farming

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on viral haemorrhagic scepticaemia in trout farms in North Yorkshire.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has received a wide range of representations on viral haemorrhagic scepticaemia in trout farms in North Yorkshire, from hon. Members and the industry. The representations have taken the form of letters, emails and parliamentary questions. We continue to work closely with interested parties on this issue. I have visited part of the affected area to hear the concerns of Fish farmers at first hand.

Waste Disposal Prosecutions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) private citizens and  (b) businesses in (i) England and (ii) each region have been prosecuted for causing pollution from (A) septic tanks and (B) heating oil tanks in each of the last three years; and what the total amount paid out in fines in each category was in each year.

Ben Bradshaw: Based on information from the Environment Agency's National Enforcement Database, there has been one prosecution for causing pollution from septic tanks and four prosecutions for causing pollution from heating oil in the last three years. Details are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Date  Region  Individual/company  Fine () 
			  Septic tanks
			 21 January 2003 Anglian Individual defendant 4,000 
			 
			  Heating oil
			 11 November 2004 Thames Other legal entity (district council) 18,000 
			 5 January 2005 South West Individual defendant 2,000 
			 17 February 2005 Wales Company 2,000 
			 10 May 2005 Southern Company 1,500

Waste Volumes

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total volume of  (a) domestic,  (b) commercial and  (c) other waste was in the Peterborough city council area in each year since 1997; what this represents per head of population; and what proportion was (i) sent to landfill, (ii) incinerated and (iii) disposed of by other means in each case.

Ben Bradshaw: The amount of municipal waste, collected by Peterborough city council in each year since 1998, is shown in the following table. No figures are available for 1997-98, as the council did not complete a return for the Municipal Waste Management Survey in this year.
	
		
			   Total municipal waste (tonnes)  Arisings per head (tonnes)  Percentage landfill  Percentage recycled, composted 
			 1998-99 73,371 0.47 82 18 
			 1999-2000 84,537 0.54 80 20 
			 2000-01 84,546 0.54 78 22 
			 2001-02 88,095 0.56 78 22 
			 2002-03 92,299 0.59 76 24 
			 2003-04 91,970 0.58 72 28 
			 2004-05 100,263 0.63 72 28 
			  Source: Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey, 1998-99 to 2003-04. 2004-05 figures are provisional estimates from WasteDataFlow 
		
	
	Municipal waste is that which comes under the control of the local authority and includes both domestic waste and waste collected by the authority from non-household sources. Figures on the amounts of commercial, industrial and other wastes are not available for individual local authority areas.

Water Quality

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the water quality of the  (a) River Brent and  (b) Welsh Harp reservoir in Brent.

Ian Pearson: Water quality data for River Brent is available on the DEFRA website at: http://www.defra. gov.uk/environment/statistics/index.htm. Recent figures for 2005 are scheduled for publication in August.
	Biological and chemical assessment is based on a three-year rolling period. Therefore, 2004 includes samples taken in 2002-04 inclusive, summarised in the following table:
	
		
			  2002-04 
			  Percentage 
			  Total assessed River Brent length which is of:  Biological quality  Chemical quality 
			 Good quality   
			 Fair quality 37 81.5 
			 Poor quality 63  
			 Bad quality  18.5 
		
	
	The General Quality Assessment (GQA) is a grade D (moderate biological water quality). This equates to 37 per cent. (biological score) and 81.5 per cent. (chemical score) of the River Brent.
	The stretch from Wembley to Wyke Stream (13km) has a GQA grade E (poor water quality equates to 63 per cent. of the River Brent. Assuming that grade F is bad quality, this stretch relates to the River Brent into the Welsh Harp. There have been no significant changes to the water quality of the river in recent years. No chemical or biological sampling has yet been undertaken in the Welsh Harp Reservoir.

Whales

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methods are being used by the International Whaling Commission to monitor the behaviour of the Western Pacific Gray Whale; and whether changes in the whales' behaviour have been documented.

Ben Bradshaw: A report on the Western North Pacific Gray Whales was presented during this year's annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and at a seismic pre-meeting of the IWC Scientific Committee.
	A variety of surveys, shore-based, aerial and vessel-based, are being undertaken as part of a Russian research programme. In addition, a photo-identification catalogue has been compiled under a joint research programme (between Russia and the USA) to provide an individual numbering scheme and standardised images of Western Gray Whales that can be used for comparison by other research groups and organisations. Research indicates that the overall distribution of Gray Whales in the north-eastern Sakhalin waters was similar to that in 2004.
	Genetic samples have now been collected from 124 individuals. The total of known reproductively active females remains at only 23 individuals. 14 (15.2 per cent.) of the 92 whales identified in 2005 were recorded as 'skinny', considerably more than the three and five recorded in 2003 and 2004, respectively. An updated population assessment, based upon these surveys, is more optimistic than last year, mainly due to reduced calving intervals observed in recent years, implying a higher reproductive rate.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Access to Work Scheme

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many disabled staff in his Department received support through the Access to Work scheme  (a) in each of the last five years and  (b) in 2006-07.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department does not keep central records of disabled staff receiving adaptations, equipment or other support through the Access to Work scheme. Details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Animals (Inhumane Killings)

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his Department has done to ensure that people who put down animals without a licence dispose of the dead animals appropriately; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Dead animals must be disposed of in accordance with the EU Animal By-Products Regulation 1774/2002. In addition, environmental controls are imposed on the operators of the installations used for their disposal, through an appropriate environmental permit issued to the operator by the relevant local authority or the Environment Agency. Producers and others handling waste are also subject to a statutory duty of care which requires them to take all reasonable measures in the circumstances to ensure, among other things, that the waste is recovered or disposed of properly.

Area Assistance

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the Government will submit its final UK Assisted Areas map to the European Commission following the closure of the consultation on 7 August.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 24 July 2006
	The European Commission require two months to consider our proposed map and we will need to ensure that there is sufficient time for the new Assisted Areas map to be considered by Parliament through the secondary legislation proceeding. Stage two of the consultation on the draft Assisted Areas map will close on 7 August. The Government will then consider all responses received. The Government are working to ensure a new map is in place when the present map expires on 31 December 2006.

Bankruptcy

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people declared themselves bankrupt in  (a) South East Cambridgeshire constituency,  (b) Cambridgeshire and  (c) the Eastern Region in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Regional insolvency statistics are only available on the basis of the locations of Official Receivers offices, each of which cover a group of county courts where the cases are heard and the courts having jurisdiction over these. It is not possible to provide bankruptcy statistics by constituency, county or Government Office Region. The following table provides the bankruptcy order statistics considered to be closest to those of interest, but they should not be treated as reliable estimates for the administrative geographies requested.
	
		
			   Cambridge County Court  Cambridge OR's Office( 1)  Anglia Region (OR-based) 
			 2001-02 165 408 3,486 
			 2002-03 167 419 3,614 
			 2003-04 240 562 4,478 
			 2004-05 331 682 5,457 
			 2005-06 484 1,306 8,050 
			 (1) Cambridge OR's Office covers the following county courts: Cambridge, Hertford, Huntingdon and Peterborough

Broadband

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of how many  (a) people and  (b) households in (i) England, (ii) Sunderland City Council area and (iii) Houghton and Washington East constituency are unable to gain access to broadband in their homes.

Margaret Hodge: Government do not hold this information but BT has supplied the following:
	Broadband availability is estimated by telephone line not by individual or household. The ability to provide broadband is based on a number of factors such as the quality of the telephone line and distance from the exchange although conclusive proof comes by actual use and experience of the service.
	Information on the number of lines unable to carry broadband is by ward or city is not collected, but the national average for lines unable to carry broadband is estimated at 0.4 per cent. of all telephone lines. There are other technologies such as cable, wireless, satellite, mobile, which can enable households to access broadband in those few places where BT does not have a suitable infrastructure.
	BT's best estimates, within the Houghton and Washington East constituency, are that there are 39,551 lines, and of these Openreach(1) estimates that approximately 150-200 lines will be unsuitable because of loss of signal due to distance from the exchange or interference from electrical noise, and a further 150 because of incompatible technologies. These figures represent approximately 0.5 per cent. and 0.4 per cent. of the available lines.
	Within the Sunderland District Unitary Authority area there are 119,431 lines, and of these Openreach(1) estimate that approximately 300-450 lines will be unsuitable for broadband because of loss of signal due to distance from the exchange, and a further 300 because of incompatible technologies. This represents approximately 0.4 per cent. and 0.25 per cent. of the available lines.
	(1) Openreachis a new multi-billion pound business that is responsible for ensuring all telecoms service providers have transparent and equal access to the local BT network, i.e. equivalence. Openreach's activities are overseen by an equality of access board, which has a supervisory role. It reports to Ofcom and BT's main board.

Broadband

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of telephone exchanges that are still not  (a) unbundled with respect to the local loop and  (b) enabled for broadband in (i) England, (ii) Sunderland City Council area and (iii) Houghton and Washington East constituency.

Margaret Hodge: Government do not hold this information but BT have supplied the following:
	Local Loop Unbundled products can be requested from BT by telecommunication companies at any of the (over 5,500) BT exchanges in the UK. Already over 1,000 exchanges have been unbundled. An exchange could have multiple unbundlers. Over 600,000 lines have been unbundled across the UK and numbers are rising rapidly, we expect to have over 1 million lines unbundled by the end of this year.
	BT estimate that 99.9 per cent. of households and businesses are currently served by a broadband enabled exchange. Of the 5,500 BT exchange only 49 are not enabled for broadband and 39 of these are currently being enabled.
	All 181 exchanges in the One North East RDA, which includes the Sunderland city council area and the Houghton and Washington East constituency, are enabled for broadband.

Business Continuity Planning

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is taking to ensure individual plc directors are aware of their obligations to their shareholders in respect of business continuity planning; and if he will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: Company directors, including plc directors, have no specific statutory obligations in relation to business continuity planning. They do owe general duties to the company, such as the duty to exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence.
	All employers, however, have an interest in ensuring effective business continuity planning. The Government are therefore working closely with the business community to encourage and support robust, flexible business continuity planning. In addition to sector-specific forums on business continuity in areas such as the financial and energy sectors, the Government have set up a new Business Advisory Group on Civil Protection through which effective dialogue between business and government on civil protection issues will be pursued, and through which the Government are seeking to provide guidance and support to the business community to assist them in implementing business continuity management. The group is attended by a wide range of business representative organisations.
	In addition, the Government have published a wide range of guidance for businesses to assist them with business continuity planning. For example, the Preparing for Emergencies website (www.pfe.gov.uk) was re-launched in March, and is delivering a single portal for advice to business on emergencies and business continuity.
	At a local level, local civil protection practitioners work closely with businesses to assist in emergency preparedness and planning, and in the event of emergencies occurring. The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) places a duty on local authorities to provide advice and assistance to businesses and voluntary organisations in relation to business continuity planning. This came into force on 15 May 2006.

Business Continuity Planning

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is taking to reduce the number of business failures that occur as a result of a major physical disaster; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: All employers should recognise the risk of business failure resulting from a major physical disaster and a wide range of other potentially disruptive incidents such as terrorist activity, pandemic flu and industrial action. The Government are, therefore, working closely with the business community to encourage and support robust, flexible business continuity planning.
	In addition to sector-specific forums on business continuity in areas such as the financial and energy sectors, the Government have set up a new Business Advisory Group on Civil Protection through which effective dialogue between business and government on civil protection issues will be pursued, and through which the Government are seeking to provide guidance and support to the business community to assist them in implementing business continuity management. The group is attended by a wide range of business representative organisations.
	In addition, the Government have published extensive guidance for businesses to assist them with business continuity planning. The Preparing for Emergencies website (www.pfe.gov.uk) was re-launched in March, and is delivering a single portal for advice to business on emergencies and business continuity.
	At a local level, local civil protection practitioners work closely with businesses to assist in emergency preparedness and planning, and in the event of emergencies occurring. The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) places a duty on local authorities to provide advice and assistance to businesses and voluntary organisations in relation to business continuity planning. This came into force on 15 May 2006.

Capital Maintenance Regulations

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what multilateral agreements have been reached with other EU member states to simplify the regulations for capital maintenance to allow public limited liability companies to make faster and simpler changes in their capital structure.

Ian McCartney: Amendments to the Second Company Law Directive (77/9I/EEC) were proposed by the European Commission in October 2004. The Second Company Law Directive co-ordinates national provisions on the formation of public limited liability companies, minimum share capital requirements, distributions to shareholders and increases and reductions in capital.
	The proposed amendments have been modified during consideration by the European Parliament and Council and are expected to be formally adopted in the near future. The amendments relate to matters such as acquisition of shares by a company through contributions in kind, acquisition by a company of its own shares and the financial assistance that a company can give for the acquisition of its shares by a third party.
	The proposed amendments arise, in part, from recommendations of the Simpler Legislation for the Internal Market (SLIM) Group in 1999 and those made by a High Level Group of Company Law Experts in 2002. Further details about the proposed amending Directive are available on the Commission's website at:
	http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/company/capital/index_en.htm
	Once formally adopted, the amending Directive must be implemented by member states within 18 months of its coming into force.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1485W, on compensation, if he will make client files available to miners who have been refused access by their representatives.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department would make files available to miners on receipt of a court order requiring it.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will arrange for a Minister in his Department to reply to the letter of 2 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Muhammad Islam.

Alistair Darling: I responded to my right hon. Friend on 22 June.

Departmental Staff (Sickness Absence)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2006,  Official Report, column 881W, on sickness absence, how many staff in his Department have had more than two periods of sickness of less than five days in two or more of the years for which he has provided figures.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The DTI's records show:
	
		
			  More than two periods (spells) of absence of less than five days for staff in DTI HQ, including SBS and UKTI 
			   Number 
			 2003-04 638 
			 2004-05 531 
			 2005-06 480

Electrical Waste

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  pursuant to EU directive 2002/96/EC, Article 4, what measures have been taken to encourage the design and production of electrical and electronic equipment which take into account and facilitate dismantling and recovery with particular reference to the reuse and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment, their components and materials;
	(2)  pursuant to EU directive 2002/96/EC, Article 5, what measures have been adopted in order  (a) to minimise the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment as unsorted municipal waste and  (b) to achieve a high level of separate collection of electrical and electronic equipment; and what systems have been set up to allow the final holders of waste electrical and electronic equipment to return it free of charge.

Malcolm Wicks: I will be making an announcement in the very near future regarding proposals for implementing EU Directive 2002/96/ECthe Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.

Electricity Transmission

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on energy losses arising through the transmission and distribution of electricity in the UK.

Alistair Darling: Approximately 2 per cent. of electricity conveyed over the transmission network is lost and a further 6 per cent. over the distribution network. Electricity is lost through a combination of heat, noise and theft. Network businesses are incentivised to reduce these losses.

Electricity Transmission

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of the electricity transmission grid.

Alistair Darling: holding answer 24 July 2006
	Statistics from National Grid show that transmission (high voltage) network reliability has improved from 99.9989 per cent. between 1995-2000 to 99.9992 percent from 2000-05. On average, electricity transmission companies have reduced their controllable costs by around 50 per cent. since privatisation.

Energy Review

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to page 179 of annex A of the Energy Review, Cm 6887, what estimate he has made of the cost of the treatment of the reprocessed uranium and enrichment tails in preparation for recycling in fresh fuel; and whether he has asked the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to provide him with an analysis of the economic feasibility of treating reprocessed uranium and enrichment tails.

Malcolm Wicks: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has not made an estimate of the cost of the treatment of the reprocessed uranium and enrichment tails in preparation for recycling in fresh nuclear fuel. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) published its strategy on 30 March 2006. The strategy noted that the NDA is examining the disposition of options for a number of nuclear materials and will be preparing advice to the Department in due course. This advice will include a full lifecycle macro-economic analysis of the potential re-use or disposal options for reprocessed uranium and enrichment tails.

Energy Review

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2006,  Official Report, column 286, on the Energy Review, what the  (a) length and  (b) value was of the contract agreed with AEA Technology Environment.

Malcolm Wicks: AEA Technology Environment was appointed in March 2006 and completed their work in June 2006.
	Contract payments are commercially confidential.

EU Directives

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he expects the implementation of the Cross Border Mergers Directive of 2005 will be achieved by December 2007.

Ian McCartney: It is intended to publicly consult on implementing options in respect of the Cross Border Mergers Directive (2005/56/EC) in due course. In accordance with the requirements of the directive, it is expected that the necessary implementing provisions will be in place by the directive's deadline of 15 December 2007.

EU Directives

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what stage implementation of the 8th Company Law Directive has reached.

Ian McCartney: The 8th Company Law Directive (2006/43/EC) on the statutory audit of annual and consolidated accounts came into force on 29 June 2006. The directive provides for a two year implementation period. The Companies Bill, currently before Parliament, is implementing some of the directive's requirements (for example, defining statutory audit; making provisions for auditors of foreign companies listed on the UK's regulated market) for which primary legislation is required.
	The Department will be consulting on these areas, as well as on the implementation of other requirements within the directive.

EU Directives

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made on multilateral agreements with other EU member states on helping facilitate the exercise of basic shareholders' rights and the cross-border exercise of such rights.

Ian McCartney: A new proposal for a directive on the exercise of voting rights by shareholders in the EU was published on 5 January this year. It included amendments to the transparency directive (2004/109/EC).
	The proposal is under discussion by the European Parliament and Council.

Ministerial Travel

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on foreign travel by  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department in 2005-06.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department of Trade and Industry has recorded expenditure of 3,264,443 on foreign travel in 2005-06. This figure covers travel by DTI and UKTI ministers and officials. All travel by Ministers and officials is undertaken in line with the Ministerial and Civil Service Codes of Conduct.
	The following table shows the breakdown on foreign travel by  (a) Ministers office and  (b) DTI and UKTI officials.
	Figures for  (a) include costs for Ministers and their Private Office (e.g. Private Secretary travel costs) as figures cannot be broken down further.
	
		
			   Expenditure (000,000) 
			 MPST Office 195,652 
			 DTI and UKTI Officials 3,068,791

Greenhouses Gases

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions  (a) he,  (b) other Ministers in his Department and  (c) officials have had with the operators of steel production plants on the installation of extraction technologies to remove emissions of greenhouse gases; and what assessment his Department has made of the impact on the competitiveness of the UK steel industry of the installation of such technology.

Malcolm Wicks: Government have been involved in many discussions at both ministerial and official level on a range of issues related to the UK steel industry's response to climate change. These have encompassed a range of possible responses by the steel industry to the Government's policies aimed at lowering carbon emissions. The essence of the Government's approach is to use market instruments to provide incentives to firms to reduce carbon emissions. Government policy is not prescriptive in terms of which carbon abating technologies firms should use. Nevertheless, discussions have on occasion made reference to best available technologies for controlling the emission of greenhouse gases, and have been informed by much research on the ability of the steel industry to abate emissions while still remaining competitive.

Hydro-electricity

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1446W, on hydro-electricity, if his Department will commission a study to determine the potential energy generation from the River Severn  (a) from incorporating hydro-electric generating equipment at the five existing weirs between Stourport and Gloucester and  (b) from building five variable height weirs with hydro-electric generating equipment between Bridgnorth and Stourport.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 14 July 2006
	Tidal impoundment schemessuch as barrages and lagoonsand tidal current technologies have the potential to make a significant contribution to carbon reductions. In common with other power generation projects they could bring with then a number of external benefits, but generally are not competitive with other forms of low carbon generation. During the course of the recent Energy Review consultation we received a range of views on tidal generation, in particular on the plans for a Severn Barrage, which could provide around 5 per cent. of current UK electricity demand by 2020. This could cost in the region of 14 billion. It is clear that while attractive in terms of energy generation and associated benefits, plans for a Severn Barrage would raise strong environmental concerns in view of the designations that apply to the Severn Estuary.
	We are however, interested in improving our understanding of how to make best use of the potential tidal resource in UK waters. Together with the Welsh Assembly Government, we will therefore work with the Sustainable Development Commission, the South West Regional Development Agency and other key interested parties to explore the issue arising on the tidal resource in the UK, including the Severn Estuary, including potential costs and benefits of development using the range of tidal technologies and their public acceptability.

Ministerial Visits (Accommodation)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost was of overnight accommodation for Ministers of State in his Department on foreign visits in each of the last three years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Expenditure on overnight accommodation for Ministers in the Department of Trade and Industry for financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 is shown in the table. The year 2005-06 includes travel costs for the six-month period when the UK held the Presidency of the EU. Details of expenditure prior to 2004 is not available at this level of detail.
	These figures include the costs of both the Minister and any accompanying private secretaries. All travel by Ministers and officials is undertaken in line with the Ministerial and Civil Services Codes of Conduct.
	
		
			  Expenditure on overnight accommodation by Ministers Office 
			  Financial year   
			 2004-05 19,918 
			 2005-06 32,026

Multilateral Agreements

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what multilateral agreements have been reached with other EU member states on corporate governance in relation to the collective responsibility of board members for financial statements and key non-financial information.

Ian McCartney: Amendments to the Fourth Company Law Directive (78/660/EEC) on the annual accounts of certain types of company and the Seventh Company Law Directive (83/349/EEC) on consolidated accounts were adopted on 14 June 2006 by the European Parliament and Council.
	Among other matters, the amending directive provides that board members of companies must be collectively responsible for the drawing up and publication of the annual accounts, the annual (i.e. directors') report and any separate corporate governance statement. The requirement for a corporate governance statement (either as part of the directors' report or as a separate statement) is a new disclosure requirement which applies to companies whose securities are traded on a regulated market.
	The amending directive will shortly be published in the Official Journal of the EU containing in full the collective responsibility provisions, the requirements as to the content of the corporate governance statement and the types of companies to which it applies. The amending directive must be implemented by member states within two years of its coming into force. The Department of Trade and Industry will be consulting on its implementation.

Multilateral Agreements

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what multilateral agreements have been reached with other EU member states on new disclosure requirements regarding off-balance sheet arrangements and related party transactions.

Ian McCartney: Amendments to the Fourth Company Law Directive (78/660/EEC) on the annual accounts of certain types of company and the Seventh Company Law Directive (83/349/EEC) on consolidated accounts were adopted on 14 June 2006 by the European Parliament and Council.
	Among other matters, the amending Directive extends to companies in the EU disclosure requirements in the notes to accounts as regards:
	a. Off-balance sheet transactions - companies will be required to disclose the nature and business purpose of certain company arrangements that are not included in the balance sheet and the financial impact of those arrangements; and
	b. Related party transactionsinformation about certain transactions which have been entered into by the company with related parties must be disclosed.
	The amending Directive will shortly be published in the Official Journal setting out the new disclosure provisions in full, their scope and member state options to grant exemptions from them. The amending Directive must be implemented by Member States within two years of its coming into force. The Department of Trade and Industry will be consulting on its implementation.

National Nuclear Laboratory

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with  (a) British Energy,  (b) BNFL,  (c) the NDA and  (d) NIREX regarding the creating of a National Nuclear Laboratory.

Alistair Darling: holding answer 24 July 2006
	In assessing the need for a National Nuclear Laboratory, my officials have had discussions with a broad range of purchasers and providers of nuclear Research and Development.

Nuclear Decommissioning Agency

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he made of the extent to which there was a potential conflict of interest when a director of the Environment Agency was appointed to the Board of the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 17 July 2006,  Official Report, column 135W.

Nuclear Decommissioning Agency

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on plans to merge the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority with Nirex.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	Future policy, and arrangements for implementing this, will be decided by the Government in light of the Committee for Radioactive Waste Management's (CoRWM's) final recommendations. CoRWM's report is due to be delivered to the Government at the end of this month and copies will be made available in the Libraries of the House. The Government will make a formal response to their report after the parliamentary summer recess.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than  (a) two and  (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Current data shows that the department has 25 questions remaining unanswered as of 10 July 2006. Four are unanswered between two and three weeks of tabling and 21 unanswered in over three weeks.
	Delays in answering questions occur for a number of reasons including the need to obtain information from external agencies and other bodies, and problems related to the transfer of questions between Government Departments.
	The Department aims to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of them being tabled. This is not always possible but the department makes every effort to achieve this.

Petrol Stations

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many petrol stations there were in  (a) England and Wales,  (b) Cumbria,  (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale,  (d) urban areas and  (e) rural areas in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of petrol station in England and Wales and in Cumbria is as follows:
	
		
			  Year end  England and Wales  Cumbria 
			 1998 11,720 185 
			 1999 11,513 184 
			 2000 11,185 182 
			 2001 10,437 170 
			 2002 9,873 156 
			 2003 9,139 151 
			 2004 8,778 144 
			 2005 8,226 129 
		
	
	The data were provided by Catalist Ltd. and was first collected in 1998. Data on numbers of rural and urban petrol stations, and in Westmorland and Lonsdale, are not available.

Planning (Romney Marsh)

Michael Howard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the correspondence between his Department and English Nature in respect of the application for permission for a wind farm at Little Cheyne Court, Romney Marsh.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 24 July 2006
	No. The correspondence between the Department and English Nature during the consideration of the application was placed on the planning register and is therefore already in the public domain.

Post Office

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultation was undertaken with  (a) Postwatch and  (b) Postwatch East prior to the recent decision of his Department not to renew the Post Office Card Account contract.

James Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
	DWP officials have met Postwatch a number of times in the past to discuss the direct payment of benefits and pensions. Government funding for the Post Office card account will continue until March 2010 as always planned. This was provided for in the Post Office card account contract agreed by DWP and Post Office Limited in March 2002. An abridged version of the contract has been placed in the Library. The details of the contract were not discussed with Postwatch.
	My officials met with officials from the national Postwatch organisation on 27 January 2006 and had a constructive discussion about our future strategy for paying benefits and pensions, including our small-scale pilots. A summary report of the pilot findings has now been placed in the Library. My officials have been in regular contact with Postwatch since that meeting, including attending meetings at Postwatch's Counters Advisory Group.

Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the awarding of Post Office franchises to WH Smith stores; and what discussions he has had with the Post Office on this matter.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We have received representations from the hon. Member for Swansea, East (Mrs. James).
	I have also had a discussion with Alan Cook, Managing Director of Post Office Ltd., on this in an initial meeting held on 22 June, following the decision.
	Decision on individuals Post Offices branches are operational matters for which the management of Post Office Ltd. (POL) have direct responsibility.

Postal Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  which companies bid for the Post Office franchises in addition to WH Smith;
	(2)  whether franchises for postal services awarded to WH Smith include a requirement for re-investment in postal services by that company.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Decisions on individual Post Office branches are operational matters for which the management of Post Office Ltd. (POL) have direct responsibility. I have, therefore, asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member on the issues he has raised concerning the franchising of services.

Public Payphones

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many public payphones have been removed in  (a) rural and  (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997; what steps the Government have taken to improve access to public payphones in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Renewable Energy

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what publicly  (a) funded and  (b) administered support schemes for renewable energy research, development and generation have been available since 1995; and how much was allocated to each programme in each year.

Malcolm Wicks: It has not been possible to collate all public expenditure and other Government support since 1995 for energy technologies in the time available at proportionate cost.
	Aside from the Renewables Obligation, which is the Governments main mechanism for delivering renewables generation, the Government are investing around 500 million, between 2002 and 2008, in capital grants and research and development to support Low Carbon Technologies. Money that has already been allocated includes 50 million for the Marine Renewables Deployment Fund, 60 million for bio-energy, 41 million (this includes 10 million for PV Field Trials) for photovoltaics, 12.5 million for community renewables and 117 million for offshore wind.
	The Chancellor also recently announced in the Budget a further 50 million, on top of the 30 million that the Minister for Energy had previously announced, for the Low Carbon Building Programme, which encourages micro generation and energy efficiency in buildings.
	In addition to this both DEFRA and the Scottish Executive provide funding to the Carbon Trust which conducts research into low carbon energy activities among other activities. DEFRA also funds research into combined heat and power, which is also detailed in the following tables.
	The Government's support for clean, low carbon road vehicle and fuel technologies, including support for research, development and demonstration projects, was summarised in the 2002 Powering Future Vehicles Strategy, a copy of which is available via the Department for Transport's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/page/dft_roads_506885.hcsp
	The following tables show the Governments direct spend per technology for 1995 to 2005.
	
		
			  DTI New and Renewable Energy ProgrammeExternal Spend for each technology area by financial year from 1990-91 
			  Spend (rounded to nearest thousand) 
			  Programme Area  1994-95  1995-96  1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000 
			 Bio Wastes 1,235,000 1,097,000 593,000 75,000 48,000 25,000 
			 Biomass 2,350,000 2,313,000 1,937,000 1,317,000 1,076,000 1,585,000 
			 Embedded Generation 908,000 835,000 647,000 586,000 530,000 596,000 
			 Fuel Cells 915,000 1,172,000 914,000 900,000 1,197,000 1,168,000 
			 Geothermal - Aquifers 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Geothermal - Hot Dry Rocks 245,000 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hydro 148,000 79,000 142,000 57,000 80,000 138,000 
			 Solar 2,067,000 1,878,000 1,874,000 1,660,000 983,000 1,278,000 
			 Tidal 220,000 165,000 0 0 0 0 
			 Wave 106,000 42,000 50,000 0 91,000 11,000 
			 Wind 2,729,000 3,370,000 2,365,000 1,240,000 950,000 801,000 
		
	
	
		
			  Programme Area  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Bio Wastes 56,000 13,000 42,000 259,000 (1)974,222 
			 Biomass 1,267,000 1,333,000 1,595,000 1,346,000 (1) 
			 Embedded Generation 589,000 776,000 1,424,000 725,000 1,105,640 
			 Fuel Cells 1,410,000 1,249,000 1,200,000 1,701,000 4,907,430 
			 Geothermal - Aquifers 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Geothermal - Hot Dry Rocks 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hydro 60,000 130,000 200,000 85,000 0 
			 Solar 1,264,000 1,522,000 4,485,000 3,131,000 1,970,340 
			 Tidal 27,000 305,000 1,996,000 2,914,000 (2)1,268,530 
			 Wave 331,000 662,000 748,000 2,104,000 (2) 
			 Wind 913,000 1,248,000 1,428,000 1,395,000 1,459,600 
			 (1) A combined spend for the two areas. 
		
	
	
		
			  DTI Capital Grant Programmes 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Biomass (DTI and Lottery spend)  10,000 1,913,000 
			 Offshore Wind Capital Grants  0 15,000,000 
			 Clear Skies Community Renewables 200,000 1,387,000 2,413,000 
			 Major PV Demo Programme 960,000 2,880,000 6,450,000 
		
	
	
		
			  DEFRA CHP Programme 
			
			 1994-95 500,000 
			 1995-96 500,000 
			 1996-97 700,000 
			 1997-98 1,000,000 
			 1998-99 1,300,000 
			 1999-2000 1,900,000 
			 2000-01 2,500,000 
			 2001-02 2,800,000 
			 2002-03 1,600,000 
			 2003-04 2,500,000 
			 2004-05 2,000,000 
			  Note: Several indirect measures of state support for CHP were introduced in 2001-02. Of those that can be enumerated, climate change levy exemption on fuel inputs to Good Quality CHP 
		
	
	
		
			  Research Councils Energy RD Expenditure 
			  000 
			   1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Biofuel 0 0 0 22 52 144 135 92 
			 Biomass 447 871 736 601 701 783 1,043 1,158 
			 CHP 4 36 63 77 267 357 226 71 
			 CO2 sequestration 0 0 0 23 42 78 30 966 
			 Fuel cells 888 1,012 703 899 1,145 1,468 1,193 917 
			 Hydrogen and other Vectors 30 136 59 83 319 517 1,494 1,477 
			 Solar 1,440 1,286 1,076 1,134 1,130 1,157 1,453 1,503 
			 Photovoltaic 2,255 3,002 2,760 2,992 3,536 2,770 2,381 2,676 
			 Wave and tidal 0 157 175 301 606 617 830 995 
			 Wind 200 226 178 261 330 490 482 243 
			 Waste 66 10 40 40 96 125 169 154 
			 Geothermal 0 0 0 40 65 64 73 79 
			 Storage 326 650 670 838 889 810 730 467 
			 Networks 1,348 1,168 1,081 919 1,115 1,388 1,805 2,390 
			 Other renewable 0 49 49 128 28 28 28 30

Rural Post Office Network

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government plan to consult on its proposals for the rural post office network; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We are at present carefully considering options for the network beyond 2008, though we are not working to a fixed timetable. There has already been extensive informal consultation with key stakeholders and we expect to consult more widely in due course.

Rural Post Office Network

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government expect to decide whether to extend the Social Network Payment to support rural post offices beyond 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government are committed to supporting the rural post office network with annual Social Network Payments of 150 million for the next two years. We are at present carefully considering options for the network beyond 2008 and will take decisions only after proper consideration of all the issues.

Security Passes

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in his Department in each year since February 2004.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of DTI identity passes which have been lost or stolen on a year-by-year basis, March to April, since February 2004 are as follows:
	
		
			   Passes lost/stolen 
			 March 2004 to February 2005 101 
			 March 2005 to February 2006 67 
			 March to July 2006 32 
		
	
	The Department's records do not differentiate between passes reported as lost or stolen. There is nothing on the pass to identify the pass holder as a member of DTI's staff nor to which buildings it enables access.

Severn Barrage

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the expected timetable is for the proposed study into a Severn Barrage for the production of tidal power.

Malcolm Wicks: During the course of the energy review consultation we have received a range of views on tidal generation, in particular on the plans for a Severn Barrage, which could provide around 5 per cent. of current UK electricity demand by 2002. This could cost in the region of 14 billion. It is clear that, while attractive in terms of energy generation and associated benefits, plans for a Severn Barrage would raise strong environmental concerns in view of the designations that apply to the Severn Estuary.
	We are however interested in improving our understanding of how to make best use of the potential tidal resource in UK waters. Together with the Welsh Assembly Government, we will therefore work with the Sustainable Development Commission, the South West Regional Development Agency and other key interested parties to explore the issues arising on the tidal resource in the UK, including the Severn Estuary, including potential costs and benefits of developments using the range of tidal technologies and their public acceptability.

Sir Alistair Graham

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to his answer of 18 July 2006,  Official Report, column 301W, on Sir Alistair Graham, how many days work per week were expected of Sir Alistair Graham as Chairman of the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of the Telephone Information Services.

Margaret Hodge: Sir Alistair Graham is contracted to ICSTIS for an average of two days per week.

Statutory Instruments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department of Trade and Industry has had five Statutory Instruments reported for defective drafting by JCSI since October 2005. They are as follows:
	Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006
	S.I. 2006/246)Twenty-second report of JCSI: Published 28 March.
	Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1179)Twenty-eighth report of JCSI: Published 13 June.
	Measuring Instruments (Automatic Catchweighers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1257)Thirtieth Report of JCSI: Published 27 June.
	Measuring Instruments (Cold-water Meters) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1268)Thirty-First Report of JCSI: Published 4 July.
	Measuring Instruments (Non-Prescribed Instruments) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1270)Thirty-First Report of JCSI: Published 4 July.
	In each case the Department responded with a Memorandum.
	Reports from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments contain full details of the statutory instruments which they have reported.

Strategic Environmental Assessment

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has commissioned to fill the data gap identified by Strategic Environmental Assessment 6.

Malcolm Wicks: For the purpose of this answer I assume that the data gap referred to is on the impact of underwater noise on marine mammals.
	In the Post Consultation Report to SEA 6 it was stated:
	While the SEA process can result in the recommendation and promotion of work on marine mammals and underwater noise, the scope and design of such studies is seen as a collaborative exercise involving a range of stakeholders.
	An extremely large study on noise and its impacts on marine mammals has recently been commissioned by a consortium of oil companies under the management of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) and data gaps identified in SEA 6 may be filled through that process.
	On marine mammal calving/nursery groundsthe DTI is awaiting the results of the SCANS II (Small Cetaceans in the European Atlantic and North Sea) survey conducted in summer 2005 and in the light of these may commission through the SEA process a review of the science base of breeding biology of selected marine mammals in British waters. The scope of this review would be discussed with our statutory advisers and a number of interested stakeholders.
	SEA 6 post consultation report is available on the following website:
	http://www.offshore-sea.org.uk/consultations/SEA_6/SEA_6_Post_Consultation_Report_Rev1.pdf

Sustainable Energy Policy Advisory Board

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many meetings he has had with each of the members of the Sustainable Energy Policy Advisory Board in each of the last five years.

Alistair Darling: The Sustainable Energy Policy Advisory Board (SEPAB) was established in December 2003. Ministers in this department and other government departments have met members of SEPAB a number of times since 2003.

Timber/Coal Mining

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to support the  (a) timber and  (b) coal mining industries in the UK.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) DTI provides a range of business support services for industry and has provided funding to the timber sector through Selective Finance for Industry for the development of a computer operated timber frame production system. We liaise closely with the key timber trade associations and raise the industry's issues and concerns across Government. In addition we support the industry's wood for good campaign which aims to boost wood's market share in the UK. In addition the Forestry Commission provides business support to the forestry and timber industries through the England Forest Industries Partnerships (EFIP) and Scottish Forestry Cluster. The Department for the Environment, Food and Regional Affairs has set up the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET) to help public sector bodies and their suppliers source legally harvested timber from well-managed forests. This is a free advice service which helps to support the timber industry's response to Government demands for legal and sustainable timber.
	 (b) The Government have provided over 220 million of state aid to the coal industry since 2000; 163 million of this was UK Coal Operating Aid paid during 2000-02, 58.3 million was Coal Investment Aid, which has been paid since 2003 and is still being drawn down.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which countries are participating in the training of  (a) the Afghan National Army and  (b) the Afghan police force; and what responsibilities each has been tasked to undertake.

Des Browne: As outlined in the 2001 Bonn Agreement, and reaffirmed under the recent Afghanistan Compact, the United States and Germany are the lead partner nations for the development of the Afghan National Army and Afghan national police respectively.
	Task Force Phoenix is the organisation within Combined Security Transition CommandAfghanistan which is responsible for the provision of embedded training teams and training courses for the Afghan National Army. Task Force Phoenix is led by the US and comprises personnel from UK, France, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Romania, Lithuania and Mongolia. A number of other nations also provide specific training courses to Afghan National Army personnel inside and outside Afghanistan.

Africa

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution the armed forces are making to supporting peace and security in Africa.

Adam Ingram: UK armed forces personnel are playing an important role in helping build African peace support capacity and teaching the principles of good governance and the democratic accountability of armed forces. British military personnel are providing training and technical assistance to the African Union, to African regional organisations and peace support centres, and bilaterally to key partner countries, in order to help build long-term conflict prevention and peacekeeping capacity. For example, in Sierra Leone, we are helping rebuild the armed forces to ensure future stability, while in Sudan we are directly supporting the African Union Mission in Darfur and providing pre-deployment training of African peacekeeping troops being sent there. UK personnel are also supporting UN missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Defence Analytical Services Agency Website

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Answer of 12 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1878W, on the Defence Analytical Services Agency (DASA), for what reasons TPS 6 remains unavailable on the DASA website.

Tom Watson: TSP6 has been published on the DASA website since publication was resumed on 12 September 2005 with the production of statistics relating to 1 April 2005. The latest edition, relating to 1 April 2006 was published on 15 June 2006 and can be found at the following URL: http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/tsp6/tsp6_apr06.pdf and copies are available in the Library of the House. There are two links to this document on the front page of the DASA website: one in the Publications section and the other in the What's new section. Links to earlier editions are listed at the following URL: http//www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/pubsindex.html. TSP6 is not listed with DASA's National Statistics publications because TSP6's National Statistics status is suspended as a result of doubts over the continuity and timeliness of the supply of information from the relevant data sources.

Defence Food Supply Contract

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 17 July 2006,  Official Report, column 210W, on the defence food supply contract, what percentage of the meat supplied to British troops under the contract is from British farms.

Adam Ingram: During the last financial year, under the current food supply contract, 42 per cent. of the beef, 100 per cent. of the pork and 5 per cent. of the lamb supplied to the UK based armed forces was of British origin.

Departmental Estate

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estate sales his Department has made in each year since 1997; what the value of these sales was in each year; what the current value of the departmental estate is; and what sites he plans to sell.

Tom Watson: The disposal receipts for each year are:
	
		
			million 
			 1998-99 59 
			 1999-2000 293 
			 2000-01 225 
			 2001-02 185 
			 2002-03 279 
			 2003-04 207 
			 2004-05 212 
			 2005-06 258 
		
	
	These are published in the Defence Estates Annual Report and Accounts. A list of the sites in the present programme and those earmarked for future disposal is available as a regularly updated list provided to the House of Commons Library. The next revised list will be available by the end of August 2006. The value of the defence estate worldwide as at 31 March 2005 exceeds 18 billion on an existing use basis.

Departmental Remuneration Strategy

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to Releasing the resources to meet the challenge ahead, Cm 6889, what reviews he has made of his Department's work force remuneration strategy.

Des Browne: The Ministry of Defence has concluded a thorough review of its civilian remuneration strategy which has formed the basis of its negotiating remit for the 2006 pay deal, on which discussions continue with HMT. The MOD also produces an annual civilian work force plan which identifies work force issues relevant to business delivery.
	A strategic review of remuneration for the armed forces is currently being conducted.

Forces Pay (Computers)

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the computer system responsible for paying the salaries of members of the British armed forces.

Tom Watson: holding answer 20 July 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 3 July 2006,  Official Report, column 711W and 14 July 2006,  Official Report, column 2120W, respectively to the hon. Member for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper). I am now also able to update the figures for overpayments and underpayments in the June Pay run provided in my answer of 14 July. These are as follows: 485 incorrect payments of which: 227 (47 per cent.) overpayments, 258 (53 per cent.) underpayments.

Helicopters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which  (a) medium and  (b) heavy lift helicopters are able to deploy to Afghanistan with immediate effect.

Des Browne: holding answer 17 July 2006
	I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 74-76WS. The helicopter support deployed to Afghanistan meets the operational commander's current requirements.

Iraq

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what publicly advertised  (a) financial and  (b) other inducements are funded by the Government to residents of Iraq to encourage the supply of information on the operation of insurgents to (i) the armed forces and (ii) British officials in Iraq.

Des Browne: There are no publicly advertised financial or other inducements for the supply of information to UK armed forces or officials in Iraq. There are, however, two initiatives set up to encourage Iraqis in MND(SE) to telephone in confidence to report criminal activities (including acts of insurgency and terrorism). These do not advertise the likelihood of any financial reward.

Iraq

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in the training of the Iraqi  (a) navy and  (b) air force.

Des Browne: The Iraqi navy plays an important role in protecting the oil facilities vital to Iraq's economic well-being. Recognising this, the UK continues to play a lead role in providing training and support. Specifically, the UK provides a Naval Assistance and Training Team at Umm Qasr Naval Base, officer training at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, and seaborne support to the Iraqi navy and marines during maritime security operations in the northern Arabian Gulf. Royal Navy warships and Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessels will regularly form part of the coalition Task Force overseeing the security of the oil platforms until the Iraqi navy are ready to fully assume this task. In February 2006, the Iraqi marines took the lead in protecting the Al Basrah Oil Terminal, which itself accounted for the vast majority of Iraqi crude oil exports in 2005.
	In the longer term, a capable air force will form an important element of Iraq's armed forces. The UK contributes to the training of the Iraqi air force under a US lead by providing a number of key staff officers to advise senior Iraqi air force commanders. Additionally, a small number of UK personnel are involved in training tasks in Iraq.

Joint Personnel Administration

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 710-11W, on joint personnel administration, what definition he uses of the term formal grievance.

Tom Watson: holding answer 20 July 2006
	Where an individual remains dissatisfied with the response provided under the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency's internal complaints system they are able to invoke a formal grievance under the RAF Redress To Complaint procedure, section 180 of the Air Force Act 1955/Queens Regulations for the RAF 1000.

Lebanon

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the extent to which the Royal Navy has a sufficient presence in the Mediterranean Sea to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon.

Adam Ingram: The success of the Royal Navy's evacuation operation of UK nationals and others from Lebanon since the recent hostilities began has demonstrated that its personnel and vessels were more than equal to the task.

Military Equipment (Complaints Procedure)

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is a facility in the Army for soldiers to  (a) record and  (b) anonymously record their concerns about the capability and adequacy of their equipment.

Adam Ingram: There are a number of ways available for soldiers to raise issues, faults and suggestions for improvement to equipment, including through the Chain of Command. At present there are no specific methods available to do so anonymously.

Military Vehicles

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 4 July 2006,  Official Report, column 913W, on military vehicles, how many of the vehicles are  (a) available to be deployed immediately,  (b) undergoing repair,  (c) undergoing Bowman conversion,  (d) in storage and  (e) being used for training purposes.

Adam Ingram: A breakdown of the armoured vehicle fleet as at 21 April 2006 is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			Operationally Deployable 
			  Equipment  Fleet size  Immediately deployable/currently deployed  In 1( st)  or 2( nd)  line maintenance  Undergoing Bowman conversion  Storage  Used for training purposes 
			 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank 385 120 70 70 (1)46 67 
			 Saxon(2) 622 206 15  358  
			 Warrior Infantry Fighting (all variants) 794 368 234 17 8 108 
			 Spartan 478 251 146 8 2 45 
			 Scimitar 328 172 102 4 2 23 
			 Striker 48 19 25 0 3 0 
			 Samson 50 30 16 1 0 1 
			 Samaritan 50 31 8 3 3 1 
			 Sultan 205 133 54 5 2 2 
		
	
	
		
			  Equipment  Total operationally deployable  In 4( th)  line maintenance  With design authority 
			 Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank 327 10 2 
			 Saxon(2) 579 38 5 
			 Warrior Infantry Fighting (all variants) 735 50 9 
			 Spartan 452 23 3 
			 Scimitar 303 19 6 
			 Striker 47 0 1 
			 Samson 48 1 1 
			 Samaritan 46 3 1 
			 Sultan 196 6 3 
			 (1) Salvaged or impaired tanks, and those on loan - not counted as operationally deployable (2) Saxon General War Role (GWR) is currently being withdrawn from Mechanised Infantry Battalions.

Military Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many OMC/Alvis Mamba/RG-31 mine-protected vehicles were purchased for Army use; on what date they were purchased; what the total purchase price was;  (a) by which formations,  (b) for what purposes and  (c) when the vehicles were used; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what modifications were made to the OMC/Alvis Mamba/RG-31 mine-protected vehicles in order to enhance mine protection and the TMRP-6 threat; how many vehicles were modified; what the total cost was of those modifications while on the Army inventory; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what  (a) maintenance and  (b) other difficulties were experienced by Army formations in their use of the OMC/Alvis Mamba/RG-31 mine-protected vehicles while on their charge; what steps were taken to resolve those difficulties; what outcomes resulted from those steps; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  when and to whom the inventory of OMC/Alvis Mamba/RG-31 mine-protected vehicles was disposed of; how much was received; what the end destination of the vehicles was; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  if he will assess  (a) ease of maintenance and  (b) reliability of the (i) OMC/Alvis Mamba and (ii) current version of the RG-31M.

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons are for replacing the Mamba vehicle with the mine-protected vehicle; and what the estimated cost is.

Adam Ingram: The Mamba mine-protected vehicle was based on an earlier version of the RG-31. In response to an operational requirement for a vehicle protected against blast and explosively formed projectile attack from below and small arms, fragmentation and some blast from the side 14 second-hand Mamba vehicles were bought in three batches through the Urgent Operational Requirements process between 1996-99. Six were bought in 1996 for the NATO implementation force mission in Bosnia; three were procured in 1999 for operations in Macedonia; and a further five were bought later in 1999 for operations in Kosovo. The approval cost of the first six was around 1.2 million and the second and third batches cost 1 million and 2.3 million respectively. They were used by specialist teams for explosive ordnance disposal tasks such as reconnaissance, rescue and recovery and route proving and were deployed in the Balkans until 2003.
	The Mamba vehicle was delivered to the Ministry of Defence following modification of the base vehicle by the contractor, Alvis with the addition of appliqu belly armour to withstand attack by shaped-charge mines. This modification was included in the purchase cost. The extra weight of the appliqu armour was found to overload the Mambas and caused reliability and safety problems. The high level of maintenance required to keep the vehicles operational was exacerbated by a lack of commonality between the individual vehicles and poor availability of spares. In May 2001, due to road safety issues, their use was restricted to operational situations where there was a significant threat of minestrikes. Since the current version of the RG-31 is not in service with the UK armed forces we cannot comment on its ease of maintenance or reliability.
	The MOD considered modifying and refurbishing the vehicles but replacement with a new vehicle was identified as the better option. As a result the vehicles were disposed of in 2004 for a total of 44,000. Nine were sold to Estonia, four to a US company and one to a company based in Singapore.

Munitions

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on developing partnering arrangements with non-BAE suppliers on general munitions.

Adam Ingram: Partnering agreements are already in place with three key non-BAES (Land Systems Munitions) suppliers: PW Defence (part of the Chemring Group), Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH and Wallop Defence Systems. Subject to satisfactory completion of negotiations, we hope to agree partnering arrangements with Chemring Counter Measures and Nobel Enterprises over the next two years.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  when he will reply to question 16696 on fatalities in Iraq, tabled by the hon. Member for Thurrock on 7 October 2005; and what the reason is for the delay in replying;
	(2)  how many fatalities to UK service personnel in Iraq have been caused, wholly or in part, by  (a) infrared bomb technology and  (b) armour piercing bombs; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answers 10 October 2005 and 19 July 2006
	I regret the delay in providing an answer to my hon. Friend's question of 7 October 2005. This was due to an administrative error, which new procedures for recording and tracking parliamentary questions will prevent in the future.
	As at 17 July 2006, a total of 114 British armed forces personnel have died while serving on Operation TELIC since the start of the campaign in March 2003. Of these, 85 are classed as killed in action, including 25 as a result of Improvised Explosive Devices. Information on fatalities in Iraq is available on the MOD website at www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsInIraq and in the Libraries of the House. The release of further information relating to the circumstances of successful attacks on UK forces could compromise operational security thereby placing our servicemen and women in additional unnecessary danger or potential harm.

Peacekeeping

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Army to undertake its peacekeeping roles effectively.

Adam Ingram: While we recognise that the Army is busy I am confident that it is able to meet all its current peacekeeping commitments.

Piracy

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent steps his Department has taken to counter the threat posed by piracy in international waters.

Adam Ingram: United Kingdom Government policy for counter-piracy primarily rests with the Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate of the Department for Transport and also the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They have a coordinated counter-piracy strategy and action plan designed to protect seafarers and ships from piracy attack. This work has been presented to the International Maritime Organization and other international organisations and States to encourage a more coordinated effort to combat the problem.
	Royal Navy ships, while not specifically committed to counter-piracy duties, will, whenever they are on hand to do so, take all appropriate measures to respond to incidents of piracy on the high seas in accordance with international law. Furthermore, the Royal Navy works closely with the Department for Transport on shipping protection issues and maintains a worldwide Maritime Trade Operations policy which enables it to offer a number of options to support merchant shipping. These range from provision of routine advice and guidance, through to active protection of merchant vessels.

Private Military Companies

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to establish  (a) operating standards and  (b) licensing controls for the regulation of private military companies.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to my reply (UIN 87939) on the current Government position regarding regulation of private military and security companies. The review of options for regulation covers both of the issues raised by the hon. Member.

Project MASS

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on project MASS (Munitions Acquisition the Supply Solution).

Adam Ingram: Project MASS is currently in its Assessment Phase which seeks to identify the best options to provide us with the operational capability our armed forces need combined with the best long term value for money.

Service Personnel (Dismissal)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been sacked from the armed forces on the grounds of their sexuality since the first year for which figures are available; how many have been compensated; what the  (a) highest and  (b) average amount of compensation is; how many whose cases have not yet been determined remain to be compensated; how many have had compensation refused; how many were denied compensation on a Limitation Act 1980 based defence; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: holding answer 24 July 2006
	The Ministry of Defence does not hold centralised records of those personnel who left or were dismissed on grounds of their sexual orientation. However, 38 personnel have received compensation. The highest compensation award was 147,875, with the average award being 35,598. 62 claims remain to be settled. 57 had compensation refused. The Ministry of Defence has not relied upon the Limitation Act 1980 in defence of any of these claims.

Spare Parts

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the spare parts availability shortfall rate is for  (a) Typhoon and  (b) Hercules C-130 aircraft.

Adam Ingram: For the Typhoon aircraft I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1236W, to the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth).
	For the Hercules fleet, spares demands satisfied from MOD stocks average 90 per cent. for the C-130K, and 75 per cent. for the C-130J. Spare parts availability for the Hercules fleet as a whole has been sufficient to meet its operational commitments.

Submarine Flotilla

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on the development of a programme level partnering agreement with a single industrial entity for the full life cycle of the submarine flotilla; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: We remain convinced of the need for consolidation in the submarine industrial base and detailed discussions with industry on the scope of a possible programme level partnering agreement are continuing. Improved supply chain management must also take place to safeguard capability and to incentivise better performance; working level negotiations continue with the key elements of industry on this basis. Given the number of industrial players in the submarine domain, consolidation to one entity may not be possible; other solutions such as an alliance or a joint venture are also being examined. MOD is considering a number of possible options with industry; none of these have yet resulted in an acceptable way ahead, but negotiation is under way.

Systems (Core Load)

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made in arriving at a common understanding of the core load required to sustain high-end design, systems engineering and combat systems integration skills; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects to produce a sustainability strategy for key maritime industrial capabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: We are making progress on assessing the Core Work Load required to sustain the maritime Key Industrial Capabilities, though we have not achieved the target of completing this within six months of publication of the Defence Industrial Strategy. This work is complex and it is important to ensure the links and coherency between the surface ship, submarine and support programmes are right. Industry has been, and will continue to be, involved. As the sustainability strategy for key maritime equipment industrial capabilities is intimately linked to this work, this has also been delayed. We will ensure that this work is completed efficiently and effectively and as quickly as possible.

Tour Intervals

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) average,  (b) shortest and  (c) longest tour interval was for the (i) RAF Field Regiment, (ii) RAF Rapier, (iii) RAF Biological Detection and (iv) Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment squadrons.

Adam Ingram: All Royal Air Force personnel are liable to be deployed overseas to support operations. The following table gives the details of tour intervals between operational deployments of formed units during the three year period from July 2003 to June 2006.
	
		
			  Months 
			   Average tour interval  Short tour interval  Longest tour interval 
			 RAF Regiment Field Squadrons 13 12 16 
			 RAF Rapier Squadrons 12 5 18 
			 RAF Biological Detection Squadron(1)
			 Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment Squadrons(1)
			 (1) Neither the RAF biological detection squadron (embedded within the Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment) nor any of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment squadrons have deployed as a formed unit during the period.

US Missile Defence Agency

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many UK personnel are attached to the US Missile Defence Agency;
	(2)  how many US personnel are attached to the UK Missile Defence Centre.

Des Browne: The US and UK have been exchanging personnel under the terms of the Strategic Defence Initiative Memoranda of Understanding since the 1980's. Four US personnel are currently seconded to the UK, two in the Missile Defence Centre, and two in Missile Defence Centre sponsored posts in the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. Four Ministry of Defence personnel are currently seconded to the US Missile Defence Agency.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Advertising Campaigns

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the  (a) date and  (b) cost was of each.

Harriet Harman: The Department for Constitutional Affairs was created on 12 June 2003. My Department has conducted two advertising campaigns from then to 30 June 2004:
	a regional poster campaign on buses to promote recruitment to the lay magistracy
	a week-long campaign of radio and press adverts to target court fine defaulters (under the title Operation Payback).
	
		
			  Project  (a) Date  (b) Cost () 
			 Magistrate recruitment November 2003 to June 2004 444,000 
			 Operation Payback March 2004 230,000

Benefit Claims (Appeals)

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many successful appeals against decisions to grant  (a) disability living allowance and  (b) attendance allowance as a result of (i) mistakes in interpreting medical evidence and (ii) unusable medical assessment forms there were in the last period for which figures are available.

Bridget Prentice: The information asked for is not available in the format requested as data is recorded by outcome rather than the grounds for the tribunal's decision.
	The following table gives details of the total number of disability living allowance and attendance allowance appeals received, the number cleared at a hearing and those appeals that were decided in the appellant's favour.
	
		
			  AA and DLA appeals, April 2005 to March 2006: Total received, cleared and cleared in favour of appellant 
			  Benefit  Received  Cleared at hearing  Cleared in favour 
			 AA 7,220 5,605 2,300 
			 DLA 82,330 71,125 35,495 
			  Notes: 1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest five and may not sum due to founding 3. 'Cleared in favour' is an abbreviation of 'Cleared in favour of the appellant'  Source:  100 per cent. download from the Generic Appeals Processing System (17-07-2006)

Community Justice Centre (North Liverpool)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what percentage of defendants attending the Community Justice Centre in North Liverpool since May 2005 have  (a) re-offended and  (b) complied with their sentence.

Harriet Harman: At this stage it is too early to give statistics on re-offending and compliance with sentences. The standard measure for re-offending rates is measured over two years from the date of sentence.
	However, the Community Justice Centre is undergoing a comprehensive evaluation which is due to report in January 2007. This evaluation will provide an early anecdotal position on both re-offending and sentence compliance which will be compared to the same measures at a comparator court. This includes offenders being asked in telephone survey interviews and in the in-depth face to face interviews about any changes in their offending behaviour and their compliance with sentencing.

Crown Court Convictions

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the reasons why the percentage of convictions in Crown courts which were successfully appealed against between 2000 and 2005 has increased.

Harriet Harman: My Department has not made any assessment of this.

Family Court Sentences

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  how many people were sentenced to a term in prison by the family courts in each of the last five years, broken down by sex;
	(2)  how many people were remanded in custody by the family courts in each of the last five years, broken down by  (a) sex and  (b) reason.

Harriet Harman: Information on how many people have been sentenced to a term in prison by the family courts in each of the last five years is not recorded.
	The following table shows the number of people remanded into custody upon breach of an order made under the Family Law Act 1996. The table also shows the number of people remanded on bail or for medical reports. It is not possible to break them down by gender nor reason.
	
		
			  Financial year  Bail  Custody  Medical reports  Total 
			 2001-02 158 352 9 519 
			 2002-03 203 504 16 723 
			 2003-04 217 616 8 841 
			 2004-05 225 565 10 800 
			 2005-06 253 576 2 831 
		
	
	The above figures relate to the county courts and High Court only. Figures for family proceedings courts are not held centrally and could only be produced at disproportionate cost.

Freedom of Information Act

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the reasons for the differing levels of compliance with the 20-day deadline under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 by central Government Departments during the last three months of 2005.

Harriet Harman: Divergence is due to the number of information requests that Departments receive particularly where they relate to complex policy issues. Departments are allowed to extend the deadline to consider the public interest and it is appropriate that they take the time necessary to reach the correct decision. That is to protect information that is legitimately exempt and to ensure the release of information where the balance of the public interest lies in its disclosure.

Freedom of Information Act

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1732W, on Freedom of Information, how many complaints  (a) are outstanding and  (b) have been outstanding for more than (i) three months, (ii) six months and (iii) over six months.

Harriet Harman: The information requested has been provided by the Information Commissioner.
	 (a) On 30 June 2006 1,204 FOI complaints were outstanding.
	 (b) The Information Commissioner's Office measures processing times in terms of calendar dates rather than months.
	(i) Of the 1,204 complaints outstanding on 30 June 2006 946 had been outstanding for more than 90 days.
	(ii) Of the 1,204 complaints outstanding on 30 June 2006 688 had been outstanding for more than 180 days.
	(iii) The answer to (iii) is the same as the answer to (ii).

Freedom of Information Act

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps she is taking to improve compliance with the 20-day response deadline under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Harriet Harman: The Department for Constitutional Affairs has established a regime to monitor central government performance under the legislation. Throughout the first year of implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, my Department refined this monitoring regime to ensure that a robust system was in place to collect data.
	My Department continues to provide advice and assistance to help Departments improve their performance.
	Central Government performance improved significantly during 2005. Across monitored bodies in the first quarter of this year 90 per cent. of requests were answered within the 20-day response deadline.

Freedom of Information Act

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average cost has been of answering  (a) a Freedom of Information request and  (b) a request under the Environmental Information Regulations.

Harriet Harman: Over 100,000 public authorities are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI) and the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). We do not have the average cost of answering FOI or EIR requests across all these authorities.

Immigration Solicitors

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  how many solicitors in the London borough of Southwark provide publicly-funded immigration work; and how many provided such work in  (a) 1996,  (b) 2001,  (c) 2004 and  (d) 2005;
	(2)  what assessment she had made of the impact of the change in the number of solicitors in the London Borough of Southwark who provide publicly-funded immigration work on those seeking specialist immigration advice;
	(3)  in which  (a) (i) London and (ii) Metropolitan borough,  (b) county and  (c) unitary authority there has been a (A) reduction and (B) increase in the number of solicitors who provide publicly-funded immigration work since (1) 1997 and (2) 2001.

Vera Baird: The number of solicitors providing publicly-funded immigration work in Southwark for each year was as follows:
	
		
			   Solicitors  Total number of immigration service providers in Southwark including not-for-profit organisations 
			 2000-01 18 21 
			 2003-04 20 25 
			 2004-05 20 25 
			 2006-07 5 10 
		
	
	It is not possible to show earlier figures as before 2000 the Legal Services Commission (LSC) did not have contract arrangements with legal aid service providers.
	There has been a significant reduction nationally, as well as in Southwark, in the number of firms of solicitors carrying out publicly funded immigration advice over the last two years. There are a number of reasons for this including firms withdrawing from the work as a result of a significant reduction in the number of people requiring advice and the LSC terminating contracts because of concerns about the quality and/or cost of the work being carried out. However the LSC remains convinced that there is sufficient provision to meet the demand for services and that the main reason that people are unable to access legal aid is because they do not satisfy the statutory means and merits criteria.
	Changes in the number of solicitors providing publicly funded immigration work since 2001 by LSC bid zone is shown in the table below. It is not possible to show earlier figures as before 2000 the LSC did not have contract arrangements with legal aid service providers.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Bidzone  2001  2006  Change 
			 Birmingham 21 12 reduction 
			 Coventry 4 3 reduction 
			 Dudley 1 1 no change 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 1 0 reduction 
			 Sandwell 2 1 reduction 
			 Stoke Central 1 1 no change 
			 Walsall 4 1 reduction 
			 Wolverhampton 1 2 increase 
			 Brighton and Hove 1 1 no change 
			 Canterbury 1 0 reduction 
			 Crawley 1 0 reduction 
			 Dover 1 1 no change 
			 Eastbourne 1 0 reduction 
			 Gravesham 1 0 reduction 
			 Hastings 1 0 reduction 
			 Maidstone 0 1 increase 
			 Medway Towns 1 0 reduction 
			 Shepway 1 0 reduction 
			 Thanet 1 0 reduction 
			 Woking 1 0 reduction 
			 Worthing 2 0 reduction 
			 Bath 1 0 reduction 
			 Bournemouth 1 0 reduction 
			 Bristol Central 4 3 reduction 
			 Exeter 4 1 reduction 
			 Gloucester 0 0 no change 
			 Kingswood 2 0 reduction 
			 Plymouth 2 1 reduction 
			 St Austell 1 0 reduction 
			 Swindon 0 0 no change 
			 Bedford 2 1 reduction 
			 Cambridge 2 0 reduction 
			 Colchester 1 0 reduction 
			 Fenland 0 1 increase 
			 Hertsmere 1 1 no change 
			 Ipswich 2 0 reduction 
			 Luton 3 2 reduction 
			 North Hertfordshire 0 1 increase 
			 Norwich 2 0 reduction 
			 Peterborough 2 0 reduction 
			 Southend-on-Sea 1 0 reduction 
			 St. Edmundsbury 1 0 reduction 
			 Uttlesford 1 0 reduction 
			 Cardiff 5 4 reduction 
			 Newport 2 2 no change 
			 Swansea City 1 0 reduction 
			 Wrexham 0 1 increase 
			 Bradford 6 3 reduction 
			 Calderdale 1 0 reduction 
			 Doncaster 1 1 no change 
			 Greater Hull 2 0 reduction 
			 Huddersfield District 1 0 reduction 
			 Leeds 5 4 reduction 
			 North East Lincolnshire 2 0 reduction 
			 North Kirklees 4 0 reduction 
			 North Lincolnshire 1 0 reduction 
			 Rotherham 1 1 no change 
			 Sheffield 3 1 reduction 
			 Wakefield District 2 1 reduction 
			 Birkenhead 0 0 no change 
			 City Centre 1 3 increase 
			 Liverpool South Inner 1 0 reduction 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2 3 increase 
			 Barnet 4 2 reduction 
			 Bexley 2 0 reduction 
			 Brent 27 11 reduction 
			 Bromley 2 0 reduction 
			 Camden 21 15 reduction 
			 Croydon 5 3 reduction 
			 Ealing 21 11 reduction 
			 Enfield 2 2 no change 
			 Greenwich 2 0 reduction 
			 Hackney 13 8 reduction 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 8 5 reduction 
			 Haringey 27 12 reduction 
			 Harrow 11 5 reduction 
			 Havering 1 1 no change 
			 Hillingdon 3 0 reduction 
			 Hounslow 7 3 reduction 
			 Islington 22 7 reduction 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 5 1 reduction 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0 0 no change 
			 Lambeth 14 6 reduction 
			 Lewisham 4 3 reduction 
			 London City 4 1 reduction 
			 Merton 4 1 reduction 
			 Newham 25 11 reduction 
			 Redbridge 7 5 reduction 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2 1 reduction 
			 Southwark 18 5 reduction 
			 Tower Hamlets 13 5 reduction 
			 Waltham Forest 12 2 reduction 
			 Wandsworth 13 6 reduction 
			 Westminster 16 9 reduction 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2 2 no change 
			 Bolton 1 0 reduction 
			 Burnley 1 1 no change 
			 Bury 1 0 reduction 
			 Manchester Central 3 1 reduction 
			 Manchester North 3 1 reduction 
			 Manchester South 2 2 no change 
			 Oldham 2 0 reduction 
			 Pendle 2 1 reduction 
			 Preston 2 1 reduction 
			 Rochdale 1 1 no change 
			 Rossendale 1 0 reduction 
			 Salford 1 0 reduction 
			 Stockport 0 0 no change 
			 Tameside 0 2 increase 
			 Trafford North 0 0 no change 
			 Gateshead 1 1 no change 
			 Hartlepool 1 0 reduction 
			 Middlesbrough 3 1 reduction 
			 Newcastle 3 3 no change 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1 1 no change 
			 Stockton 1 0 reduction 
			 Sunderland 1 1 no change 
			 Boston 1 0 reduction 
			 Charnwood 2 0 reduction 
			 Chesterfield 0 0 no change 
			 Derby 3 0 reduction 
			 Leicester 9 3 reduction 
			 Lincoln 1 0 reduction 
			 Northampton 1 0 reduction 
			 Nottingham 4 3 reduction 
			 South Derbyshire 0 0 no change 
			 South Kesteven 1 0 reduction 
			 Aylesbury Vale 1 1 no change 
			 Chiltern 1 0 reduction 
			 Eastleigh 0 1 increase 
			 Greater Reading 3 1 reduction 
			 Havant 1 0 reduction 
			 Milton Keynes 0 0 no change 
			 Oxford 3 1 reduction 
			 Portsmouth 1 1 no change 
			 Rushmoor 1 1 no change 
			 Slough 3 0 reduction 
			 Southampton 3 4 increase 
			 Wycombe 0 1 increase

Legal Aid

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many applications there have been for legal aid in housing cases in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: The number of cases started by providing advice and assistance in the housing category of law is provided in table 1.
	The number of applications for a certificate in the housing category of law, which also includes representation in legal proceedings, is included in table 2.
	It is likely that some of the matters started in table 1 proceeded to full certificated work and therefore they could also be included in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 1: Legal Help matters started in housing cases 
			  Number of matters started 
			  Greater London Borough  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Barking and Dagenham 503 494 446 392 488 
			 Barnet 333 375 321 375 415 
			 Bexley 45 74 74 90 124 
			 Brent 1,325 1,394 1253 1,151 1513 
			 Bromley 283 308 326 227 403 
			 Camden 2,290 2,249 2,026 1,598 1,719 
			 Croydon 395 462 354 295 393 
			 Ealing 1,523 1,583 1,284 1,405 1,551 
			 Enfield 450 368 323 267 280 
			 Greenwich 625 461 555 667 665 
			 Hackney 2,541 2,722 2,669 2,743 2,632 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1189 1,178 1,070 1040 1,101 
			 Haringey 1,877 1,694 1,463 1,457 1,616 
			 Harrow 342 354 386 378 355 
			 Havering 27 53 76 138 250 
			 Hillingdon 243 290 90 41 190 
			 Hounslow 300 196 231 275 446 
			 Islington 1,912 1,583 1,399 1,635 2,045 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 664 753 861 685 807 
			 Kingston upon Thames 62 45 22 13 151 
			 Lambeth 2,257 1,940 1,819 2,084 2,397 
			 Lewisham 521 674 584 527 556 
			 London City 157 148 135 128 185 
			 Merton 0 0 0 42 52 
			 Newham 2,715 2,622 2,239 2,085 2,914 
			 Redbridge 695 310 239 202 181 
			 Richmond upon Thames 111 30 49 2 2 
			 Southwark 1,929 1,795 1,759 1,909 2,083 
			 Sutton 69 55 27 8 95 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,268 1,113 981 1,577 1,455 
			 Waltham Forest 396 290 259 432 483 
			 Wandsworth 1,638 1,550 1,315 1,264 1,340 
			 Westminster 1,974 1,731 1,418 1,547 1,527 
			 Total matters started 30,659 28,894 26,053 26,679 30,414 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Applications for civil representation in housing matters 
			  Number of matters started 
			  Greater London Borough  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Barking and Dagenham 114 91 90 110 135 
			 Barnet 82 119 97 117 145 
			 Bexley 9 16 25 29 28 
			 Brent 254 206 209 163 211 
			 Bromley 109 86 75 60 49 
			 Camden 753 826 816 644 694 
			 Croydon 120 154 172 155 171 
			 Ealing 310 290 243 290 288 
			 Enfield 98 88 90 97 71 
			 Greenwich 156 159 126 114 108 
			 Hackney 626 609 591 667 648 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 189 201 211 171 223 
			 Haringey 488 475 460 383 332 
			 Harrow 160 107 126 103 96 
			 Havering 15 18 22 31 35 
			 Hillingdon 78 81 77 69 94 
			 Hounslow 177 193 129 132 182 
			 Islington 811 842 674 675 638 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 207 266 392 306 256 
			 Kingston upon Thames 7 2 5 2 26 
			 Lambeth 850 848 828 787 810 
			 Lewisham 202 226 205 214 255 
			 London City 48 49 53 86 73 
			 Merton 4 3  4 16 
			 Newham 633 644 591 595 468 
			 Redbridge 168 3 69 73 104 
			 Richmond upon Thames 34 9 36 24 1 
			 Southwark 812 908 853 938 980 
			 Sutton 19 16 10 2 3 
			 Tower Hamlets 298 271 179 227 266 
			 Waltham Forest 102 97 163 145 153 
			 Wandsworth 425 392 355 424 398 
			 Westminster 426 445 416 425 469 
			 Total Applications 8,784 8,820 8,388 8,262 8,426

Legal Aid

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her Department's expenditure was on legal aid for asylum and immigration cases in each year since 1997; and what the  (a) budget allocation and  (b) expenditure was on administration for such cases in 2005-06.

Vera Baird: The departmental cash expenditure on legal aid in immigration and asylum cases in England and Wales for each year since 1996-97 was as follows;
	
		
			million 
			 1996-97 (1)29.1 
			 1997-98 (1)38.2 
			 1998-99 (1)53.3 
			 1999-2000 61.4 
			 2000-01 81.1 
			 2001-02 129.4 
			 2002-03 176.2 
			 2003-04 200.5 
			 2004-05 177.2 
			 2005-06 107.3 
			 (1) The cost of civil representation has been estimated for these years. 
		
	
	The figure for 2005-06 includes 5.7 million for administration. Administration expenditure is the proportion of the Commission's running costs that are directly or indirectly attributed to immigration and asylum. This expenditure was in line with the forecast for the year.

Legal Aid

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the total cost was of legal aid provision for under 18-year-olds who have sought to challenge antisocial behaviour orders in each year since their introduction.

Vera Baird: The information requested is not available.

Legal Aid Budget

Christopher Chope: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make it her policy to ensure that overspending in the Legal Aid budget is not financed by reductions in the budget for HM Courts Services.

Harriet Harman: The Department must manage its total spending on legal aid, courts and other services within the limits set by the Treasury. The proposals in the report of Lord Carter, published on 13 July, set a basis for ensuring that in future the cost of the legal aid scheme within the spending of the Department as a whole is better managed and controlled.

Ministerial Offices

Sarah Teather: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many times her ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years.

Harriet Harman: Since becoming the Minister of State for the Department for Constitutional Affairs in May 2005, my ministerial office has not been decorated. It was an existing office space that I inherited from the previous responsible Minister and was not decorated prior to my arrival. The office was not decorated during the tenure of the previous incumbent which dates back to 2003. To produce any costs for the years preceding this would incur a disproportionate cost as the Department for Constitutional Affairs was only created in June 2003.

Northern Ireland Coroners

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many coroners have been appointed in Northern Ireland in the past two years; and what  (a) experience in private practice as a lawyer and  (b) other professional experience each of the appointees had.

Bridget Prentice: There have been three new coroners appointed in Northern Ireland in the past two years. One of the appointees is a High Court Judge who was appointed to the office of coroner in May 2006 to be the Presiding Judge for the Coroners Service.
	Of the two other appointees, one is a solicitor of 19 years standing of which one year was served in private practice and 18 years in public service, and the other is a barrister of 13 years standing of which six years were served in private practice and seven years in public service.

Northern Ireland Coroners

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people applied to become coroners in Northern Ireland in each of the last two years; and what experience as a private lawyer each had.

Bridget Prentice: I am informed by the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission that 31 applications were received for the post of Coroner which was advertised earlier this year. The applicants' experience in private practice ranged from none to 31 years.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many parliamentary questions tabled to her Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than  (a) two and  (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case.

Vera Baird: 98 parliamentary questions tabled to my Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006. 13 of these were overdue with  (a) three awaiting a reply longer than two weeks and  (b) six awaiting a reply longer than three weeks. The remaining four were awaiting a reply for less than two weeks.
	The reason for the delay in replying to the overdue questions is that in many cases the information requested was not readily available and in one case the information had been archived. While my ministerial colleagues and I fully understand the importance of meeting deadlines for parliamentary questions, we are also keen to ensure that the answers we give are as accurate as possible.

Rape

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on progress with providing legal advice for rape victims.

Harriet Harman: At present we are piloting the Victims' Advocate scheme, which offers legal advice to the families of murder and manslaughter victims. Decisions about the future of the Victims' Advocates scheme will be taken when we have assessed the success of the pilots.

Security Passes

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in her Department in each year since February 2004.

Bridget Prentice: In 2004, 395 security passes were reported lost and 22 reported stolen by staff within the Department for Constitutional Affairs. In 2005, 170 were reported lost and 24 stolen. In 2006, to date, 148 have been reported lost, and 6 stolen.
	When a security pass is reported lost or stolen, appropriate steps are taken to reduce the risk of unauthorised access into any of the Department's buildings.

Sir Alistair Graham

John Spellar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster,  Official Report, column 1830W, on Sir Alistair Graham, for how many days Sir Alistair Graham claimed as a member of the Employment Appeals Tribunal in each year of his membership; and what his total remuneration was in each such year.

Vera Baird: The number of days Sir Alistair Graham claimed for as a member of the Employment Appeals Tribunal in each year of his membership, and what his total remuneration was in each such year is a matter for his personal disclosure.

US Department of Justice

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what meetings  (a) she and  (b) her officials have had with representatives of the United States' Department of Justice in the last 12 months.

Harriet Harman: I have not met with any representative of the United States' Department of Justice. In January 2006 my officials organised an international conference on the codification of criminal procedures. The Deputy Director of the Office of Policy and Legislation in the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice attended the conference during the course of which he spoke on an informal basis with my officials. No other meetings between DCA and US Department of Justice officials have taken place in the last 12 months.

Victims' Advocates Scheme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what criteria were used in selecting Crown courts for the pilot victims' advocates scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The following criteria were used in selecting the courts for the Victims' Advocates pilot: (a) a mix of courts with wide geographical spread, (b) the pilot should cover courts in both urban and rural areas, (c) the courts should have large enough numbers of murder and manslaughter trials for effective evaluation, (d) the level of local interest and enthusiasm for the scheme and (e) not overburdening courts with pilot schemes and other initiatives. The selection of the pilot courts was made in consultation with the President of the Queen's Bench Division. The President then wrote to the courts concerned asking them to take part in the pilot.

Victims' Advocates Scheme

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many court cases were included in the pilot for the victims' advocates scheme for the bereaved relatives of murder and manslaughter in each of the pilot Crown courts.

Harriet Harman: The pilot scheme applies to cases of murder and manslaughter in the pilot areas charged on or after 24 April 2006. As of mid-July, we are aware of 52 cases eligible for the scheme in the five pilot areas (three for the Birmingham pilot site, five in Cardiff pilot site, 36 in London pilot site, five in Manchester pilot site and three in Winchester pilot site). None of the cases has yet come to trial or resulted in a conviction.

Young Offenders

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average time was for dealing with persistent young offenders from arrest to sentence in each of the last five years.

Harriet Harman: The following table shows the average number of days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders in England and Wales in each of the last five years. The table also shows the number persistent young offenders in England and Wales in each of the years, as is the convention with the statistic.
	
		
			  Period  Days  Number of cases 
			 2001 76 25,393 
			 2002 68 26,116 
			 2003 66 26,083 
			 2004 69 26,363 
			 2005 68 27,037 
		
	
	The figures in the table cover cases heard in both magistrates and Crown courts.
	The statistic is reported on in a bulletin available on the Department for Constitutional Affairs website each month: http://www.dca.gov.uk/statistics/crjust.htm#part3.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what baseline transfers have been made from the Department of Work and Pensions to other central Government departments to reflect changes in funding responsibilities for Access to Work for their disabled employees since October 2006.

Anne McGuire: No baseline transfers have been made from the DWP to other central Government Departments.

Access to Work

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Access to Work scheme.

Anne McGuire: The most recent independent assessment the Department for Work and Pensions has made of the effectiveness of the Access to Work programme was a study published in September 2002(1). The study involved case studies with participants and employers to assess the difference the programme makes in enabling users to take up and stay in work. The interviews with users and employers were carried out between September and December 2001.
	Additionally, between July and October 2005, Access to Work Business Centres sent out 4,000 questionnaires to Access to Work customers, seeking their views on the service they had received. Of the customers who responded, 91 per cent. indicated that they were 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the overall service they had received from Access to Work.
	(1) Evaluating the Impact of Access to Work: A Case Study Approach, Patricia Thornton and Anne Corden, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York, Report number WAE 138, September 2002.

Asbestos

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures will be put in place to monitor and prevent the fly-tipping of textured coatings containing asbestos under the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006.

Anne McGuire: The draft Control of Asbestos Regulations set out controls on work with asbestos and do not deal with the illegal disposal of waste materials containing asbestos. Controls on the fly-tipping of waste asbestos is covered under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which makes the illegal disposal of waste an offence. Government have worked with the Environment Agency to set up Flycapture the national fly-tipping database which records the numbers of fly-tipping incidents dealt with by local authorities and the Environment Agency. The database was set up in April 2004 and records summary data on fly-tips by waste type, for example asbestos. Government are committed to helping the enforcement authorities tackle this problem and has developed a range of proposals as part of its fly-tipping strategy.

Asbestos

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the  (a) policy and  (b) drafting of Article 3 Paragraph 3 of Directive 2003/18/EC on control of asbestos.

Anne McGuire: This issue is currently with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for drawing up draft Regulations to implement Directive 2003/18/EC. The Regulations will only be submitted to Ministers once the Health and Safety Commission is content with them. HSE's assessment is that the derogation contained in Article 3, paragraph 3 of Directive 2003/18/EC provided a sufficient basis for implementing clear measures in domestic regulations and guidance. The key point is that the derogation will only apply where the results of a risk assessment clearly show that the proposed lower, single control limit will not be exceeded. HSE also considered important the provision in Article 3(3)(bis) which directs member states to lay down practical guidelines on the derogation.

Asbestos

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account he took of Cabinet Office guidelines on the transposition of European legislation in drawing up the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 to implement Directive 2003/18/EC.

Anne McGuire: This issue is currently with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for drawing up draft Regulations to implement Directive 2003/18/EC. The Regulations will only be submitted to Ministers once the Health and Safety Commission is content with them. HSE takes full account of the Cabinet Office guidelines on transposing European Regulations.
	Those guidelines recommend that there should be a presumption to copy out the provisions of a Directive except where there is a clear justification for doing otherwise. In the case of the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations, most of the provisions of Directive 2003/18/EC have been copied out. Where this has not been done, it has been for clear and justifiable reasons, such as ensuring a good fit with the way in which health and safety law is framed in Great Britain. This is particularly important in areas where we go beyond the requirements of the Directive, such as licensing.

Asbestos

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the omission of the words 'without deterioration of non-degraded' from Regulation 3(2)ii of the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, which transposes Article 3 Paragraph 3 of directive 2003/18/EC, on  (a) the scope of the directive and  (b) worker protection.

Anne McGuire: This issue is currently with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for drawing up draft regulations to implement Directive 2003/18/EC. The regulations will only be submitted to Ministers once the Health and Safety Commission is content with them. HSE's assessment is that the omission of the words without deterioration of non-degraded materials from the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations provides greater clarity in the way the directive has been transposed and will in fact contribute to overall increased levels of protection beyond that provided for in the directive for those working with materials containing asbestos.

Asbestos

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has sought guidance from the European Commission on the UK's proposed wording of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 to implement directive 2003/18/EC.

Anne McGuire: This issue is currently with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for drawing up draft regulations to implement directive 2003/18/EC. The regulations will only be submitted to Ministers once the Health and Safety Commission is content with them. HSE has not sought guidance as it considers the directive provides a sufficient basis for putting in place clear measures that fully implemented it. Once the regulations are in place, the way in which we have implemented the directive will be considered by the European Commission.

Asbestos

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what response his Department has made to the correspondence from the European Commission regarding the draft Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 to transpose directive 2003/18/EC.

Anne McGuire: The UK has received three letters from the European Commission regarding the transposition of directive 2003/18/EC. The first, in April, requested information about the measures the UK had taken to implement the Directive. The UK replied in May, explaining that it had not yet been possible to fully implement the directive, but that it had consulted on proposals. In June, a further letter was received notifying the UK that the Commission considered that it had failed to fulfil its obligations to transpose the directive into national law and inviting observations. On 20 June 2006 the UK received a further letter referring to concerns raised by the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association about the way in the Health and Safety Executive proposes implementing Article 3(3) of directive 2003/18/EC. We will reply to both these letters soon.

Benefit Fraud Hotline

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls were made to the Benefit Fraud Hotline in each year since 1997; and what proportion of such calls led to  (a) investigation and  (b) conviction of the individuals named.

James Plaskitt: The National Benefit Fraud Hotline is very cost effectivelast year it cost nearly 1 million to run but identified 21.4 million in recoverable overpayments. Between April 1999 and March 2006, 4,233 people have been convicted as a result of calls made to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline.
	Information regarding calls made, and the proportion of such calls that led to investigation and conviction is only available from April 2004. Available information regarding the number of calls actually answered from 1997 is in the table.
	
		
			   Calls answered  Referrals for investigation as a proportion of calls answered (Percentage)  Convictions as a proportion of calls answered (Percentage) 
			 1997-98 188,038 Not recorded Not recorded 
			 1998-99 170,032 Not recorded Not recorded 
			 1999-00 162,067 49.05 0.20 
			 2000-01 208,201 48.68 0.23 
			 2001-02 205,999 52.99 0.34 
			 2002-03 159,290 56.51 0.44 
			 2003-04 211,054 53.55 0.29 
			 2004-05 199,004 55.22 0.31 
			 2005-06 211,599 72.47 0.34 
			  Source:  National Benefit Fraud Hotline and Fraud Information by Sector system.

Benefits (Direct Payment)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of fee-paying cash machines on people whose benefits are paid by direct payment.

James Plaskitt: Direct Payment offers customers more flexibility in how and where they access their moneyincluding making use of the 33,000 free automated teller machines within the LINK network. 96 per cent. of all cash withdrawals from LINK machines are free.
	They can also use the 25 or so different bank accounts that are available free of charge over the counter at Post Office branches. There are around 20 million people who could access their bank account free of charge at a Post Office, but only around 10 per cent. (two million) per week actually do so. This is a huge untapped market which could bring vital new income into Post Office branches. DWP will work with Post Office Ltd. and support it in its efforts in increase this market.
	The Post Office has confirmed its intention to withdraw from its involvement with third party fee-charging ATM suppliers and has recently announced its plans to install extra free-to-use automated teller machines in its branches.
	DWP has undertaken research into customers' experience of, and satisfaction with, Direct Payment. Cash machine charges were not raised as an issue by customers in this research.

Benefits Processing

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on the introduction of new processing systems for  (a) income support and  (b) jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what progress has been made on the introduction of the new processing systems for (a) income support and (b) job seekers allowance. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	On the progress of the Benefit Delivery Centre roll out programme, I refer you to my reply to your earlier question, (PQ 76509, published in Hansard on Wednesday 28 June 2006, Col 421-422W).
	I can also confirm that as Benefit Delivery Centres are rolled out staff will to continue to use the existing IT systems.
	I hope this is helpful.

Child Support Agency

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether employers have the right to reduce the amount of attachment of earnings maintenance payment made by employees instructed to do so by the Child Support Agency.

James Plaskitt: Where the employee's net income falls below the protected rate, the employer has the right to reduce the amount on a deduction from earnings order.

Child Support Agency

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of families in  (a) rural and  (b) non-rural areas who have made claims to the Child Support Agency have received at least one payment in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.

Computing Equipment

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) USB (i) flash drives and (ii) memory sticks,  (b) compact discs,  (c) DVD-ROM discs,  (d) laptop computers,  (e) external computer hard drives,  (f) internal computer hard drives and  (g) desktop computers were purchased for use in his Department in each month since March 2005.

Anne McGuire: It has not been possible to provide all the information in the requested format. The information available is presented in the following table.
	
		
			  Item  Volume  Purchasing period 
			 USB Flash Drives and Memory Sticks 1,412 March 2005-June 2006(1) 
			 Compact Discs 17,947 March 2005-June 2006 
			 DVD-ROM discs 342 March 2005-June 2006 
			 Laptop computers 430 March 2005-June 2006(2) 
			 External Computer Hard drives 269 March 2005-March 2006(3) 
			 Internal Computer Hard drives 20 March 2005-March 2006(3) 
			 Desktop Computers 381 2March 2005-June 2006(2) 
			 (1) These similar items are counted together (2) Purchased by DWP or its IT supplier for use by DWP (3) Information not available April 2006 to date

Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Minister of State will reply to the letter of 26 April from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire on pension wind-ups.

James Purnell: holding answer 16 June 2006
	I replied on 30 June, another copy has been sent to the Member's constituency office.

Council Tax Benefit

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in  (a) England and  (b) Wales receive 100 per cent. council tax benefit.

James Plaskitt: As at May 2004, the most recent available information, there were 3,186,000 households in England and 222,000 households in Wales that received a full rebate through council tax benefit. These figures equate to 80 per cent. of English and 84 per cent. of Welsh households that are in receipt of council tax benefit.

Council Tax Benefit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) minimum and  (b) maximum number of pages of the council tax benefit form a person is required to complete to claim the benefit.

James Plaskitt: Where a person makes a claim for council tax benefit via Jobcentre Plus through the Customer Management System (CMS), or via the pensions service on a pre-populated form alongside pension credit, the minimum requirement is that the person signs the CMS statement or completed form after checking that the information is correct.
	In other cases, the minimum is the two-page claim form used in the rapid reclaim process. This process allows those people who have previously been in receipt of council tax benefit and income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance in the last 12 weeks to reclaim benefit under a simplified process where the break in their claim was due to employment and no other circumstances have changed since their last claim.
	For a completely new claim for council tax benefit only, the minimum size of the form issued by the department is a three-page form for pensioners who are in receipt of pension credit and have no dependent children or non-dependents living in the household.
	We are unable to provide details of the maximum number of pages needed as this would not only depend on the complexities of a person's circumstances, but also depends on the procedures and forms in place within the 408 local authorities who administer council tax benefit.

Council Tax Benefit

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster receive 100 per cent. council tax benefit.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Council Tax Benefit

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) people,  (b) senior citizens and  (c) families are (i) entitled to and (ii) receive council tax benefit in each parliamentary constituency.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available. Council tax benefit information is not available broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Criminal Offences

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: None.

CV Writing

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what help is available through his Department to people seeking to return to work to assist them in writing a curriculum vitae.

Anne McGuire: Personal advisers provide information, advice and guidance to help people identify, apply for and secure employment. As part of this, they are able to provide help to people on a range of required jobsearch skills, including developing and producing a curriculum vitae (CV).
	Particularly disadvantaged people who need additional help can also be referred to Programme Centres which provide more concentrated, in-depth support on the range of jobsearch skills, including CV preparation.

Departmental Budget

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was unallocated in his Department's budget in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was formed in June 2001 from the Department of Social Security (DSS), the Employment Service (ES) and parts of the former Department for Education  Employment (DFEE). Therefore it is not possible to provide information prior to 2001-02.
	All of the Department's funding is allocated over the Spending Review period with the exception of a relatively small Departmental Unallocated Provision (DUP). The Department follows Treasury Public Spending Guidance in maintaining this contingency fund from which unforeseen demands on resources can be met. Amounts carried forward at the end of one year are added to the DUP amounts set aside for the new year from the planning cycle. The amounts set aside for the DUP at the beginning of each year, the amounts expended during the year and the amounts carried forward to the following year are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   million 
			   Unallocated provision at start of year  Expended during year  Provision carried forward at the end of year 
			 2001-02 56 9 47 
			 2002-03 94 0 94 
			 2003-04 105 103 2 
			 2004-05 100 97 3 
			 2005-06(1) 91 39 52 
			 (1 )The figures for 2005-06 are subject to final audit.

Departmental Publications

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list in date order the  (a) (i) Green and (ii) White Papers and  (b) written ministerial statements, excluding those on Benefit Fraud Inspectorate reports, which have been produced by his Department since May 1997.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 19 July 2006
	The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001. Green and White Papers are not defined terms. 66 papers were published within the Command Papers series since June 2001. A detailed list has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	Written ministerial statements were introduced in October 2002. Since then the Department for Work and Pensions have made a total of 274 excluding Benefit Fraud Inspectorate Reports. A detailed list has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Departmental Staff

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department's employees have been  (a) dismissed,  (b) suspended and  (c) subject to disciplinary action for criminal activity in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The information on the number of Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) employees who have been  (a) dismissed and  (c) subject to disciplinary action for criminal activity for the period July 2003 to March 2006 is shown in the following table. No information is available for the period before July 2003.
	No information is held on  (b) the number of DWP employees who have been suspended for criminal activity in each year since 1997.
	
		
			  Number of DWP employees who have been dismissed and subject to disciplinary action for criminal activity 
			   Dismissed  Disciplined 
			 July to December 2003 6 13 
			 January to December 2004 6 43 
			 January to December 2005 10 33 
			 January to March 2006 1 3

Departmental Staff

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in the Department have taken early severance in each of the last 12 months; how many of those have been re-employed by the Department; and how many of those have been re-employed in the same, or similar roles on  (a) open-ended,  (b) fixed-term and  (c) temporary contacts (i) in England and (ii) at South Cheshire Jobcentre Plus.

Anne McGuire: Information on the number of staff who have taken early release, early severance and early retirement, in each of the last 12 months for which centrally held information is available is in the following table.
	The number of staff who have been re-employed on permanent, fixed term and temporary contracts is also in the table but data is not available on the specific roles in which they have been re-employed.
	You also asked for the position at South Cheshire Jobcentre Plus. South Cheshire is part of the Cheshire and Warrington District of Jobcentre Plus. Information is not available from centrally held data but information obtained from local records indicate that a total of 26 staff left the District in March and 41 staff in June on early release. Of those who left, nine staff have been re-employed on short term temporary contracts to deal with work prior to centralisation. This approach was considered the most cost effective solution given the short term nature of the staffing requirement and the fact that no additional staff training was required.
	
		
			Number of staff re-employed in England 
			   Number of staff taking early release in England  Permanent contracts  Fixed term contracts  Temporary contracts 
			  2005 
			 June 169 3   
			 July 199 1 1 1 
			 August 30 1   
			 September 325   1 
			 October 218
			 November 43 1  1 
			 December 235 3   
			  
			  2006 
			 January 150   2 
			 February 92 1   
			 March 732 3  1 
			 April 218
			 May 155   1 
			  
			 Total 2566 13 1 7 
			  Notes: Figures relate to the number of individual staff not full time equivalents Figures relate to early retirement and early severance

Disability Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total departmental expenditure on benefits has been for those who are disabled and unable to work since 1997; and how much of the welfare reform budget has been spent on measures connected with this group.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 26 June 2006
	The Information is not available. In the case of Department for Work and Pensions benefits which are not paid in relation to a disability, claimants are not required to classify themselves as being disabled or non-disabled.

Disabled Staff

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of  (a) staff and  (b) new staff employed since April 2005 in (i) his Department and (ii) each of the agencies for which he has responsibility were registered as disabled.

Anne McGuire: The process of registration as a disabled person was removed by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. DWP staff are, however, asked on a voluntary basis to state whether they are disabled.
	The following table illustrates  (a) the proportion of DWP staff that, according to computerised personnel records, have declared their disability status and stated that they are disabled, and  (b) the proportion of new staff since 2005 that have declared on their application forms to the Department that they are disabled. The figures are broken down into the individual agencies and the corporate centre.
	
		
			  Agency  Percentage all staff  Percentage new staff since April 2005 
			 DWP 5.20 6.79 
			 Jobcentre Plus 6.43 6.33 
			 The Pension Service 2.96 6.80 
			 Child Support Agency 2.71 7.14 
			 Disability and Carers Service 5.55 6.17 
			 Debt Management 2.56 3.70 
			 Corporate Centre 3.04 9.19

Escaped Prisoners (Benefits)

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks are in place to ensure that benefits are not paid to escaped prisoners.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 20 June 2006
	The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits are not payable to convicted prisoners in custody or released on temporary licence. When a claim is made for an income-related benefit, checks are made of the claimant's recent past history as part of the process to establish entitlement.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer of 28th March 2006,  Official Report, column 945W, on replacement pension costs, what estimate he has made of the annual cost over the next 10 years of administering the Financial Assistance Scheme  (a) under the existing rules and  (b) assuming (i) full and (ii) partial restoration of the pensions of those covered by the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report.

James Purnell: holding answer 18 April 2006
	The information is as follows:
	 (a) As the Financial Assistance Scheme has only recently been set up, estimates of the administrative costs over the next 10 years are subject to a degree of uncertainty. Our current estimate is that it will cost around 4.5 million a year up to 2009-10, when we would expect the costs to reduce significantly once the eligibility of all schemes and members has been assessed.
	 (b) It is difficult to estimate the administration costs of a scheme providing restoration of pensions to all those covered by the parliamentary ombudsman's report. As the scheme might have to mirror the benefit structures for each qualifying pension scheme, it could be significantly more complex than the Financial Assistance Scheme.
	For full restoration, we estimate that the one off set up costs might be around 10 million and during the first five years that it might take to assess scheme eligibility and calculate member benefits, the administration costs could be at least 14 million a year. The total costs over the first year or so could therefore be around 20 million.
	We cannot provide an estimate for partial restoration as it is unclear what that would involve.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of how many people will qualify for support from the Financial Assistance Scheme at  (a) the 80 per cent. rate,  (b) the 65 per cent. rate and  (c) the 50 per cent. rate.

James Purnell: We estimate that 25,000 people could qualify for support from the Financial Assistance Scheme at the 80 per cent. rate, 9,000 could qualify at the 65 per cent. rate and 6,000 at the 50 per cent. rate.

Health and Safety (Temperatures)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what guidance the Health and Safety Executive has issued on the acceptable  (a) minimum and  (b) maximum temperatures (i) within offices and (ii) on public transport;
	(2)  what guidance the Health and Safety Executive has issued on the acceptable minimum and maximum temperatures.

Anne McGuire: I shall answer both of these questions together.
	The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require employers to provide reasonable temperatures in all indoor workplaces, including offices, for their employees. These Regulations are accompanied by an Approved Code of Practice and guidance. HSE recommends a lower temperature of 16 degrees Celsius unless the work involves severe physical effort in which case the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius.
	There is no minimum or maximum temperature legally required in the workplace. Establishing either is impractical, as thermal comfort is dependent on a range of environmental and personal factors (e.g. ventilation, humidity, type of work activity being undertaken, clothes worn, and temperature).
	Further guidance is available on HSE's website www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/thermal. The website has been designed to provide comprehensive information and a step-by-step approach to help employers and employees manage excessive temperatures in the workplace. There is also HSE guidance for employers entitled Thermal comfort in the workplace (HSG 194).
	The HSE has issued no specific health and safety guidance on public transport. However, HM Railway Inspectorate, which is now part of the Office of Rail Regulation, does have particular concern that rolling stock and infrastructure failures in deep tunnels can cause more specific health concerns. This is because of the increased temperatures and reduced ventilation that may be encountered by passengers on delayed and overcrowded carriages, especially during summer months. In such cases health and safety law requires employers to put arrangements in place to reduce the risks, but there are infrastructure and technical constraints to improving ventilation on some railways. Railway operators, such as LUL, alert passengers to the risks posed by hot conditions by suggesting that passengers carry a bottle of water and informing passengers of the quickest way of seeking help if taken ill on a train.
	In addition, the Department of Health has produced an updated heat-wave plan on 26 May 2006 and new public health information leaflets are available from the Department of Health website: www.dh.gov.uk.

Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the costs to local authorities in  (a) Scotland and  (b) Great Britain for administering (i) housing benefit and (ii) council tax benefit were in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The Department does not collect management information relating to the cost to local authorities of administering housing benefit under the existing national scheme. The available information on the administration subsidy paid to local authorities is in the following table.
	
		
			  Housing Benefit (HB) Council Tax Benefit (CTB) Administration subsidy; Scotland and Great Britain. 
			   million 
			   HB  CTB  HB/CTB 
			  1999-2000
			 Scotland 8,644,389 7,861,986 16,506,375 
			 Great Britain 87,553,309 72,031,691 159,585,000 
			 
			  2000-01
			 Scotland 8,588,591 8,216,713 16,805,304 
			 Great Britain 86,817,329 74,182,671 161,000,000 
			 
			  2001-02
			 Scotland 8,868,090 8,639,248 17,507,338 
			 Great Britain 89,735,660 76,264,340 166,000,000 
			 
			  2002-03
			 Scotland 8,999,480 8,956,165 17,955,645 
			 Great Britain 91,529,917 78,470,083 170,000,000 
			 
			  2003-04( 1)
			 Scotland 18,761,705 17,825,973 36,587,678 
			 Great Britain 189,533,660 158,466,340 348,000,000 
			 
			  2004-05( 2)
			 Scotland 21,238,664 18,372,505 39,611,169 
			3,544,030 
			 Great Britain 200,329,846 163,351,154 363,681,000 
			30,400,000 
			  2005-06( 2)
			 Scotland 21,992,689 18,946,117 40,938,806 
			2,895,239 
			 Great Britain 209,609,053 172,171,947 381,781,000 
			27,000,000 
			  2006-07( 3)
			 Scotland   57,367,265 
			 Great Britain   554,999,999 
			 (1 )From 2003-04, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) distributed 100 per cent. of HB/CTB administration subsidy. Prior to 2003-04 distribution was shared 50 per cent by DWP, and 50 per cent. between the then Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Executive. (2 )2004-05 and 2005-06 figures include separate identifiable amounts allocated in recognition of the costs to local authorities of administering HB/CTB claims which include pension credit and tax credits. (3 )From 2006-07 HB/CTB administration subsidy which includes funding for programme protection activities is announced as a single annual figure.

Identity Fraud (Training)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what internal training courses on tackling identity fraud are provided to departmental staff who have access to members of the public's personal information.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) on 16 February 2006,  Official Report, column 2438W.

Incapacity Benefit

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in  (a) South East Cambridgeshire constituency,  (b) Cambridgeshire and  (c) the Eastern region claimed (i) short-term and (ii) long-term incapacity benefit in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The information is in the table.
	
		
			  Incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance (SDA) claimants each November 2001 to 2005, by geographical area and rate 
			   All IB/SDA  IBST(L)  IBST(H)  IBLT  IBCO  SDA 
			  South East Cambridgeshire constituency   
			 2005 2,480 140 100 1,100 740 410 
			 2004 2,450 130 110 1,110 680 420 
			 2003 2,390 110 90 1,130 610 450 
			 2002 2,330 110 130 1,080 550 460 
			 2001 2,290 110 120 1,040 500 510 
			
			  Cambridge city council   
			 2005 3,470 130 120 1,360 1,500 350 
			 2004 3,360 130 120 1,320 1,430 370 
			 2003 3,210 130 110 1,280 1,310 390 
			 2002 3,160 120 150 1,230 1,250 410 
			 2001 3,040 110 130 1,210 1,160 440 
			
			  East Cambridgeshire district council   
			 2005 1,830 90 80 850 530 280 
			 2004 1,830 90 80 850 510 300 
			 2003 1,780 80 70 870 460 300 
			 2002 1,730 90 100 810 410 310 
			 2001 1,690 80 90 800 370 350 
			
			  Fenland district council   
			 2005 3,810 160 170 1,940 1,110 430 
			 2004 3,730 160 180 1,880 1,080 430 
			 2003 3,600 140 140 1,870 990 450 
			 2002 3,520 140 190 1,770 960 460 
			 2001 3,390 140 150 1,730 860 510 
			
			  Huntingdonshire district   
			 2005 3,870 170 190 2,050 970 490 
			 2004 3,910 230 220 1,980 980 500 
			 2003 3,730 190 190 1,960 880 510 
			 2002 3,730 170 240 1,900 880 540 
			 2001 3,670 180 220 1,830 830 600 
			
			  South Cambridgeshire district council   
			 2005 2,730 140 130 1,230 770 470 
			 2004 2,700 140 110 1,240 710 490 
			 2003 2,620 120 110 1,240 630 510 
			 2002 2,570 120 170 1,140 600 540 
			 2001 2,440 110 120 1,110 510 590 
			
			  Peterborough city council   
			 2005 6,990 260 250 3,060 2,750 670 
			 2004 7,020 270 280 3,110 2,660 700 
			 2003 6,810 300 270 3,060 2,440 740 
			 2002 6,800 280 360 2,960 2,420 770 
			 2001 6,650 260 300 2,940 2,290 860 
			
			  East of England GOR   
			 2005 179,300 7,080 7,000 82,880 59,520 22,820 
			 2004 181,060 7,550 7,910 83,180 58,690 23,730 
			 2003 178,230 7,940 7,820 82,120 55,550 24,790 
			 2002 174,590 7,850 9,330 78,860 52,680 25,860 
			 2001 171,170 7,180 7,970 78,060 49,550 28,400 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. IBST(L) = Incapacity Benefit short-term lower-rate 4. IBST(H) = Incapacity Benefit short-term higher-rate 5. IBLT = Incapacity Benefit long-term 6. IBCO = Incapacity Benefit credits-only  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Income Statistics

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of households in the UK had an income of  (a) 22,009 or less,  (b) 22,010 to 32,744 and  (c) 32,745 or more in 2005-06.

Jim Murphy: The income information for 2005-06 is not available. Fully processed income data for 2005-06 will not be available until March 2007, following the publication of Households Below Average Income 2005/06.

IT Contracts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) start date,  (b) original planned completion date,  (c) current expected completion date,  (d) planned cost and  (e) actual cost was of the upgrade from Windows 2000 to EP in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Department's project to upgrade to Windows XP started in August 2004. Rollout commenced in June 2005 with an expected completion date of December 2005 at a planned cost of 12.673 million. The project completed in February 2006 with a final cost of 12.276 million.

Job Outcome Target

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what monitoring he has undertaken of the Job Outcome Target; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 25 July 2006:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what monitoring he has undertaken of the Job Outcome Target. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Following a pilot which ran from January 2005 to March 2006 in seven Jobcentre Plus Districts, the Job Outcome Target was introduced nationally in April 2006. Job Outcomes are measured by matching information on employment starts provided by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) with information held on Jobcentre Plus systems.
	As part of the pilot we monitored performance and conducted research into the operation of the target. Two reports have been published and are in the Library ('Evaluation of the Job Outcome Target Pilots: quantitative study: Final Report' Authors: Frankham et al. Ref No 316 and 'Evaluation of the Job Outcome Target Pilots: Findings from the Qualitative Study' Authors: Johnson et al. Ref No 302). The national implementation incorporated findings from this research. Further research is underway to examine activity in the pilots one year after implementation and to incorporate best practise on a national basis. We expect findings from this research to be published after February 2007.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentre Plus

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the costs were of services from private sector security companies at Jobcentre Plus in each year from 2001-02; and what the estimated costs are in 2006-07.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what the costs were of services from private sector security companies at Jobcentre Plus in each year from 2001-02; and what the estimated costs are in 2006-07. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Security services for Jobcentre Plus are included in the services provided by Land Securities Trillium through its facilities management contract with the Department for Work and Pensions and are not charged separately.

Learning for Adults Programme

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's planned spending is on the work-based learning for adults programme for  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Planned spend on Work Based Learning for Adults (WBLA) is 23 million in 2006-07 and 14 million in 2007-08.
	Funding for occupational training and basic skills courses provided outside the new deal programmes ended on 31 March 2006. For 2006-07, 9 million is being provided to cover training for customers who started WBLA courses prior to 31 March 2006, and 14 million is being provided for training allowances for jobseekers voluntarily taking up Learning and Skills Council (LSC) basic skills provision. In 2007-08, 14 million will again be provided for training allowances for customers voluntarily taking up LSC basic skills provision.
	Training to address basic skills needs and work focused training continues to be available through the new deal programme. The mandatory new deal programmes contain a formal training element tailored to meet individual needs, and people participating in voluntary new deals can also take up training opportunities and access training through the Learning and Skills Council, or through other local agreements.
	Work continues between Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Education and Skills, Jobcentre Plus and the LSC to develop proposals for a new LSC supported Basic Skills programme for Jobcentre Plus customers for introduction in September 2007.

Means Testing

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which benefits are subject to a means test; and which were so subject in  (a) January 1997 and  (b) July 1997.

James Plaskitt: The income-related benefits, income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit were all introduced prior to 1997 and they remain income-related.
	Minimum income guarantee replaced income support for pensioners from 1999 until it was, in turn, replaced by pension credit in October 2003.

Carers

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will raise the level of carer's allowance to the amount which would be received by a person working an average week being paid the National Minimum wage; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to reduce poverty among carers.

Anne McGuire: Carer's allowance is an income-maintenance benefit for carers who are not in full-time work and regularly provide substantial care, of at least 35 hours a week, to a severely disabled person receiving attendance allowance or the equivalent rates of the disability living allowance care component. Carers receiving carer's allowance can have earnings, net of a range of expenses, including the cost of alternative care for either the severely disabled person or a child under 16 years of age while the carer is at work, of up to the national insurance lower earnings limit, currently 84 per week, net of certain expenses. This limit and the weekly rate of carer's allowance are increased each year to maintain their value. We have no plans to increase carer's allowance to the level of the national minimum wage.
	Special help is available for lower-income carers entitled to carer's allowance through the carer premium in the income-related benefits and the additional amount for carers in pension credit. In 2002 we increased the carer premium by 10 per week over and above annual increases to reflect movements in the Retail Price Index, and set the rate of the additional amount in pension credit at the same level. Currently, carers can receive up to 26.35 per week more from these benefits than other recipients, More than 181,000 pension credit recipients, 210,000 income support recipients and 3,000 income-based jobseeker's allowance recipients are receiving this extra help.
	Analysis of the Family Resources Survey and Households Below Average Incomes datasets indicates that carers, including those receiving carer's allowance, are no more likely to be in poverty(1) than the general population.
	(1) Defined as income below 60 per cent. of median household income (before housing costs).

National Insurance Numbers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes have been made since 5 May 2005 to the requirements for applicants for National Insurance numbers to produce original documents.

James Plaskitt: Original documents are required in all circumstances. This position has not changed since 5 May 2005.

National Insurance Numbers

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks are carried out on people applying for National Insurance numbers; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Adults who apply for a National Insurance number (NINO) are subject to a comprehensive range of checks throughout the NINO application process.
	The Department then follows a robust process to verify the individual's identity, including a face-to-face interview designed to build up a picture of the individual's circumstances; document examination checks to ensure the authenticity of any documentary evidence provided in support of the application; and corroborative checks with third parties (including other Government Departments) to verify information supplied during the interview.
	Only when Jobcentre Plus is satisfied as to the individual's identity will a NINO be allocated.

Occupational Pensions

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what EU regulatory requirements apply to the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision.

James Purnell: The requirements of EU Directive 2003/41/EC on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision, which was adopted by the member states on 3 June 2003, apply to the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision.

Occupational Pensions

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations his Department plans to send to the Committee of European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Supervisors 2006 Conference.

James Purnell: The Department for Work and Pensions will be represented at the Committee of European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Supervisors 2006 Conference by senior members of staff from the Pensions Regulator. The Pensions Regulator is a non-departmental public body responsible for the supervision of work-based pension schemes within the UK, and usually represents the UK at the regular meetings of the Committee of European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Supervisors. The Department works closely with the Pensions Regulator to ensure that the interests of UK pension scheme members are appropriately represented at these meetings.

Pathways to Work

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to issue guidance to encourage the public sector to employ people with mental illnesses, in line with the relevant recommendation by the Work and Pensions Committee in its report on incapacity benefit and Pathways to Work.

Anne McGuire: The Department is host to the Office for Disability Issues, which was launched on 1 December 2005 to take forward the Government's strategy for improving the life chances of disabled people. One element of this work will be to oversee the effective implementation of the Disability Equality Duty, which requires all public bodies to actively promote equality of disabled people, including people with mental illnesses. The Office for Disability Issues is working in partnership with the Disability Rights Commission to support and encourage government departments to commit to meaningful actions that will improve their policies and services and realise the potential of their diverse workforces.
	In addition the Disability Rights Commission has produced a series of Codes of Practice, assisting people and organisations to understand their rights and duties under the Disability Discrimination Act. The Codes give practical guidance, including illustrative examples covering a wide range of impairments, on how to prevent discrimination against disabled people. The Codes have been produced following wide-ranging consultation by the Disability Rights Commission to ensure they are appropriate for the users. The Commission has also produced a range of guidance leaflets and other information to help improve awareness and understanding of rights and requirements under the Act.

Pension Credit

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents in  (a) South East Cambridgeshire constituency,  (b) Cambridgeshire and  (c) the Eastern region receive pension credit.

James Purnell: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Individual beneficiaries in South East Cambridgeshire constituency, Cambridgeshire county council and the East of England, February 2006 
			   Individual beneficiaries( 4) 
			 South East Cambridgeshire 4,550 
			 Cambridgeshire 24,030 
			 East of England 274,190 
			  Notes: 1. These figures are early estimates. The preferred data source for figures supplied by DWP is the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). However, the figures provided are the latest available figures which are taken from the QMS scan at 17 February 2006. These are adjusted using the historical relationship between WPLS and GMS data to give an estimate of the final WPLS figure. 2. The number of individual beneficiaries is rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Parliamentary constituency, Government Office Region and county council are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. The number of individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners.  Source: DWP 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service (QMS) Pension Credit scan taken as at 17 February 2006.

Pension Funds (Winding Up)

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total amount of assets was in pension funds that started to wind up before 6 April 2005 with insufficient funds to cover their pension entitlements before annuities were purchased; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: This information is not available.

Pension Schemes

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to encourage the implementation of auto-enrolment pension schemes.

James Purnell: The Government have published research findings which show the effectiveness of automatic enrolment as a technique for improving levels of pension saving.
	In July 2005 the Government published technical guidance for the pensions and financial services industries on how to operate automatic enrolment techniques within the current legal framework governing personal pensions. The Government are at present exploring whether it can develop similar guidance for employers, in order to encourage the use of automatic enrolment into occupational pension schemes.
	In its Second Report, the Pensions Commission recommended that all employees should be automatically enrolled into funded pension saving but with the right to opt out, and with a modest compulsory employer contribution. In the White Paper Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system the Government made it clear that it accepted the Pensions Commission's recommendation. The Government will introduce legislation requiring employers to automatically enrol their employees into either good quality occupational schemes or personal accounts.

Pensioners (Poverty/Council Tax Assistance)

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pensioners in the  (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and  (b) Sunderland city council area have been lifted out of poverty since 1997.

James Purnell: Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 1994/95-2004/05, available in the Library. The main source for HBAI is the Family Resources Survey. Pensioner Poverty in the context of this question is taken to be the standard measurement, i.e. people over state pension age living in a household with income below 60 per cent. of the Great Britain median.
	The data source does not allow us to provide robust estimates below a regional level. Therefore, estimates for Houghton and Washington East constituency and Sunderland city council are not available. Since 1996-97, around 50,000 people over state pension age in the North East have been lifted out of poverty after housing costs have been taken into account, or around 10,000 before housing costs have been taken into account. This represents 12 per cent. after housing costs, or 3 per cent. before housing costs.

Pensioners (Poverty/Council Tax Assistance)

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of pensioners in the  (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and  (b) Sunderland city council area have received the 200 payment to assist with council tax in 2005-06.

James Purnell: Information that is available is in the table below. It is not possible to provide the percentage of pensioners in the Houghton and Washington East constituency who have received the 200 payment because the information is not available by parliamentary constituency.
	
		
			Payments made  Percentage of people aged 65 or over 
			 Houghton and Washington East constituency 2005-06 9,350 n/a 
			 Sunderland local authority 2005-06 29,800 65.7 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and refer only to the main payment run for the 200 payment to help with Council Tax bills, so they do not include the late payment run figures. The final figures will be available shortly and placed in the Library. 2. Percentage figures have been calculated using mid year population estimates of men and women aged 65 and over, which are not available by Parliamentary Constituency.  Source:  DWP Information Directorate and Office for National Statistics and General Register Office, Scotland (Mid year population estimates).

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of pensioners who will have an income, through the basic state pension and state second pension, before the addition of means tested benefits, that is higher than the basic state pension level and lower than the savings credit lower threshold in  (a) 2010,  (b) 2020,  (c) 2030,  (d) 2040 and  (e) 2050 under the proposals in the White Paper Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System.

James Purnell: The following table gives the information requested under our reforms, where more people will be getting state pensions based on their national insurance records, and there will be a more generous basic state pension due to the restoration of the earnings link. This provides a solid foundation for private saving. Incentives are further enhanced by reducing the growth of the savings credit.
	
		
			  Table 1: Pensioners with gross retirement pensions between the level of a full basic state pension and the savings credit threshold under the White Paper reform proposals 
			   Number of pensioners 
			 2010 900,000 
			 2020 1,500,000 
			 2030 1,700,000 
			 2040 1,800,000 
			 2050 1,500,000 
			  Notes: 1. The estimates are subject to wide margins of uncertainty because they rely on very long-term projections of state pension accruals by individual pensioners. 2. Gross retirement pension is defined here as basic state pension plus gross additional pension i.e. that which has accrued from both contracted-in rights and contracted-out equivalent rights. 3. The projections assume: continued earnings uprating of the standard guarantee credit; the savings credit maximum is uprated by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015; earnings uprating of the basic state pension from 2012; measures to improve coverage of the basic state pension described in the White Paper. 4. The projections are rounded to the nearest 50,000.  Source:  DWP microsimulation modelling and DWP administrative data

Pensions

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidelines for co-operation between supervisors in regulating cross-border pension activity have been agreed with other EU states on a multilateral basis.

James Purnell: The guidelines for co-operation between supervisors in regulating cross-border pension activity are contained within the Protocol relating to the collaboration of the relevant competent authorities of the member states of the European Union in particular in the application of the Directive 2003/41/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 June 2003 on the activities and supervision of Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision operating cross-border. The protocol was adopted by the supervisory authorities of all the EU member states on 22 February 2006. For the UK, the relevant authority is the Pensions Regulator, a non-departmental public body responsible for the supervision of work-based pension schemes within the UK.

Pensions

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what authorisation and approval is required if a pension scheme wishes to engage in cross-border activity with other EU member states.

James Purnell: If a pension scheme wishes to engage in cross-border activity with other EU states, it must first be authorised (a general authorisation to accept contributions from European employers) and then approved (approval with regard to a specific European employer) by the Pensions Regulator. The specific procedure which schemes must follow is detailed in sections 287-289 of the Pensions Act 2004. The documentation schemes are required to produce in order to be authorised and approved is contained within the Occupational Pension Schemes (Cross-border Activities) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/3381). Further guidance on making applications for authorisation and approval to operate cross-border can be obtained via the Pensions Regulator website: www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/trustees/crossBorder/index.aspx

Pensions White Paper

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what definition he uses of 'the long term' on page 110 of the White Paper 'Security in Retirement, Towards a New Pensions System'.

James Purnell: Expenditure projections in the White Paper Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system assume that the standard Guarantee Credit is uprated by earnings throughout the period to 2050.

Pensions White Paper

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the savings that will be realised from the reforms to  (a) the state second pension and  (b) savings credit under the proposals in the White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pensions System in each year from 2008 to 2050.

James Purnell: The White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pensions System presents a coherent, interlinked and comprehensive package of reforms. As such it can be misleading to consider the impact of an individual measure in isolation. Each component needs to be considered alongside the other reforms introduced.
	Under our reforms, more people will be getting state pensions based on their national insurance records, and there will be a more generous basic state pension due to the restoration of the earnings link. This provides a solid foundation for private saving. Incentives are further enhanced by reducing the growth of the savings credit.
	The White Paper also contains measures to simplify the state second pension, whereby it will gradually become a flat-rate top-up to the basic state pension. Access to the state second pension will be widened, as more workers, carers and parents start to become entitled.
	The following tables contain information on the additional costs arising due to the proposed reforms to the state second pension and to the savings credit as set out in the White Paper.
	Table 1 shows additional projected state second pension expenditure following reform, compared to previous policywhere it would have become flat-rate by around 2056, credits were available to those caring for children aged under six, and the ability to contract out into DC schemes continues.
	The second column shows the extra cost which would be incident if the state second pension did not become flat-rate in accrual by 2030.
	
		
			  Table 1: Cost of state second pension reforms 
			   billion, in 2006-07 price terms 
			   Total cost of state second pension reforms  Further costs if accelerated flat-rating excluded 
			 2008 0.0 0.0 
			 2009 0.0 0.0 
			 2010 0.0 0.0 
			 2011 0.0 0.0 
			 2012 0.0 0.0 
			 2013 0.0 0.0 
			 2014 0.0 0.0 
			 2015 0.0 0.0 
			 2016 0.0 0.0 
			 2017 0.0 0.0 
			 2018 0.1 0.0 
			 2019 0.1 0.0 
			 2020 0.2 0.0 
			 2021 0.3 0.0 
			 2022 0.4 0.0 
			 2023 0.5 0.0 
			 2024 0.6 0.0 
			 2025 0.7 0.0 
			 2026 0.9 0.0 
			 2027 1.1 0.0 
			 2028 1.3 0.0 
			 2029 1.5 0.0 
			 2030 1.8 0.0 
			 2031 2.1 0.0 
			 2032 2.4 0.0 
			 2033 2.8 0.0 
			 2034 3.2 0.0 
			 2035 3.6 0.0 
			 2036 4.0 0.1 
			 2037 4.3 0.1 
			 2038 4.7 0.1 
			 2039 4.9 0.1 
			 2040 5.2 0.1 
			 2041 5.4 0.1 
			 2042 5.7 0.2 
			 2043 5.9 0.2 
			 2044 6.2 0.2 
			 2045 6.5 0.2 
			 2046 6.8 0.3 
			 2047 7.1 0.3 
			 2048 7.4 0.3 
			 2049 7.7 0.4 
			 2050 8.0 0.4 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the additional cost under the proposed pension credit reforms, compared to the baseline assumption that the guarantee credit is earnings uprated until 2008 (the Government's previously announced intention), and price uprated thereafter.
	The White Paper package means that everyone should have the opportunity to save on the basis of a firm foundation from the state, with confidence that they will see the benefits from their private saving. Earnings-linking the basic state pension, and arresting the spread of the savings credit up the income distribution by uprating the maximum with earnings from 2008 and with prices from 2015, are important elements in that package. The second column shows the extra costs which would be incident if these reforms to the savings credit were excluded.
	
		
			  Table 2: Cost of pension credit reforms 
			   billion, in 2006-07 price terms 
			   Total cost of pension credit reforms  Further costs if savings credit reforms excluded 
			 2008 0.6 0.1 
			 2009 1.1 0.3 
			 2010 1.6 0.4 
			 2011 2.6 0.6 
			 2012 3.6 0.6 
			 2013 4.6 0.6 
			 2014 5.5 0.6 
			 2015 6.3 0.7 
			 2016 7.1 0.8 
			 2017 7.9 0.9 
			 2018 8.7 0.9 
			 2019 9.5 1.0 
			 2020 10.3 1.0 
			 2021 11.3 1.1 
			 2022 12.2 1.2 
			 2023 13.2 1.3 
			 2024 14.1 1.4 
			 2025 15.0 1.5 
			 2026 16.0 1.6 
			 2027 17.0 1.6 
			 2028 18.0 1.7 
			 2029 19.0 1.8 
			 2030 20.0 1.9 
			 2031 21.3 2.0 
			 2032 22.6 2.1 
			 2033 23.9 2.3 
			 2034 25.2 2.4 
			 2035 26.6 2.5 
			 2036 27.9 2.6 
			 2037 29.3 2.8 
			 2038 30.7 3.0 
			 2039 32.2 3.1 
			 2040 33.8 3.3 
			 2041 36.1 3.4 
			 2042 38.4 3.6 
			 2043 40.9 3.8 
			 2044 43.3 4.0 
			 2045 45.9 4.2 
			 2046 48.5 4.4 
			 2047 51.3 4.6 
			 2048 54.2 4.7 
			 2049 57.1 5.0 
			 2050 60.1 5.3 
			  Notes: 1. Estimates of additional expenditure are consistent with the policy detail set out in the White Paper. Costs are net of all income-related benefits (pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit). 2. Costs or savings presented are based on long-term projections of United Kingdom benefit spend, consistent with the Budget report 2006. 3. Table 1, Cost of state second pension reforms, includes, in the first column, accelerating the flat-rate of accruals, improving coverage, and the abolition of contracting-out for defined contribution pension schemes. Contracting out rebate effects are excluded. Cost of state second pension are net of all income-related benefits (pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit). 4. The second column of table 1 includes the additional costs which would be incident if the accelerated flat-rating of accruals were excluded. 5. Table 2, Cost of pension credit reforms includes, in the first column, uprating the guarantee credit by earnings from 2008, and uprating the savings credit maximum by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015. It excludes changes to pension credit as a consequence of earnings uprating the basic state pension. 6. The second column in table 2, headed Further costs if savings credit reforms excluded, includes costs which would be incident in the absence of the direct reforms to savings credit. 7. Figures exclude the effect of personal accounts. 8. Figures exclude the effects on expenditure on the state second pension and on pension credit arising from increases in the state pension age as set out in the White Paper.

Pensions White Paper

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the data which supports the figures given in figure 9 of the White Paper Security in retirement, towards a new pensions system for each year between 2020 and 2050.

James Purnell: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Post Office Card Account

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations his Department has undertaken with Postwatch East of England on pilot schemes for the migration of Post Office card account holders to banking facilities in the eastern region; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: DWP officials have met Postwatch a number of times in the past to discuss the direct payment of benefits and pensions. Government funding for the Post Office card account will continue until March 2010 as always planned. This was provided for in the Post Office card account contract agreed by DWP and Post Office Limited in March 2002. An abridged version of the contract has been placed in the Library. The details of the contract were not discussed with Postwatch.
	My officials met with officials from the national Postwatch organisation on 27 January 2006 and had a constructive discussion about our future strategy for paying benefits and pensions, including our small-scale pilots. A summary report of the pilot findings has now been placed in the Library. My officials have been in regular contact with Postwatch since that meeting, including attending meetings at Postwatch's Counters Advisory Group.

Post Office Card Account

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations took place with  (a) Royal Mail,  (b) Postwatch and  (c) the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters before the Government announced that the post office card account contract would not be renewed after 2010.

James Plaskitt: The post office card account contract is a finite contract, which ends in March 2010. There was never any expectation that it would be renewed.
	We have been discussing our wider payments strategy with Post Office Ltd. since the summer of 2005. Our aim is to help them retain as much business as possible. The first meeting was instigated by David Mills, the former Chief Executive of Post Office Ltd. The meetings have covered a number of issues, including the DWP pilots which ran from mid-February to mid-March. We continue to have regular meetings with Post Office Ltd. at official level and, where appropriate, Ministers will also meet them. It is important that the Government and Post Office Ltd. work constructively together in the best interests of our joint customers.
	DWP officials have met with Postwatch and the National Federation of Sub-postmasters a number of times in the past to discuss the direct payment of benefits and pensions and will continue to meet them in the future. We did not undertake any specific consultation with either about the post office card account contract. The Government will fulfil their contractual obligations and continue to provide funding for the post office card account until March 2010 as always planned.

Post Office Card Account

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Pensions Service is entitled to withdraw payment of  (a) pensions and  (b) pension credits by means of the post office card account without the consent of the card account holder.

James Plaskitt: The post office card account is a Post Office Ltd. banking product and is treated in the same way as other bank and building society accounts.
	It is an important principle of social security legislation that the Secretary of State does not require the consent of the person entitled to any benefit to change the way in which that benefit is paid. This helps DWP to deal efficiently with a wide range of circumstances that may arise.
	In practice, we respect the customer's wishes and pay their benefit into the account of their choice.

Poverty

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the number and proportion of  (a) women pensioners and  (b) disabled people living on (a) less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median income and (b) less than 60 per cent. of contemporary mean income in each year since 1997.

Jim Murphy: These data are from Households Below Average Income (HBAI). The main source for HBAI is the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The estimates are shown Before and After Housing Costs for the years 1996-97 to 2004-05.
	The following tables show the numbers and proportions of women pensioners and disabled people, living in households with incomes below the 60 per cent. threshold of (a) the contemporary median and (b) the contemporary mean.
	As requested, both median and mean estimates have been supplied for this PQ. The threshold of 60 per cent. of median household income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income. This is an internationally recognised measure and has been used for many years. The presence of relatively small numbers of individuals with very high incomes results in a skewed distribution and a large difference between the overall GB mean and the GB median.
	
		
			  Table 1: Women pensioners living in households with less than 60 per cent. Contemporary median incomeGreat Britain 
			   Number BHC  (Million)  Proportion BHC (Percentage)  Number AHC  (Million)  Proportion AHC (Percentage) 
			 1996-97 1.5 23 1.9 30 
			 1997-98 1.5 24 1.9 29 
			 1998-99 1.6 24 1.8 29 
			 1999-2000 1.5 24 1.8 28 
			 2000-01 1.4 23 1.6 26 
			 2001-02 1.5 24 1.5 24 
			 2002-03 1.5 23 1.4 22 
			 2003-04 1.4 22 1.3 21 
			 2004-05 1.3 20 1.1 17 
			  Notes: BHC=Before Housing Costs AHC=After Housing Costs  Source:  Family Resources Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Women pensioners living in households with less than 60 per cent. contemporary mean incomeGreat Britain 
			   Number BHC  (Million)  Proportion BHC  (Percentage)  Number AHC  (Million)  Proportion AHC  (Percentage) 
			 1996-97 2.6 40 2.8 44 
			 1997-98 2.6 41 2.7 43 
			 1998-99 2.8 43 2.8 44 
			 1999-2000 2.6 41 2.7 42 
			 2000-01 2.7 42 2.6 41 
			 2001-02 2.7 42 2.7 42 
			 2002-03 2.6 40 2.6 41 
			 2003-04 2.5 38 2.6 39 
			 2004-05 2.4 36 2.3 35 
			  Notes: BHC=Before Housing Costs AHC=After Housing Costs  Source: Family Resources Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Disabled people( 1)  living in households with less than 60 per cent. contemporary median incomeGreat Britain 
			   Number BHC  (Million)  Proportion BHC  (Percentage)  Number AHC  (Million)  Proportion AHC  (Percentage) 
			 1996-97 1.8 21 2.6 30 
			 1997-98 2.2 22 2.9 29 
			 1998-99 2.3 23 3.0 30 
			 1999-2000 2.2 22 2.9 30 
			 2000-01 2.3 22 2.9 28 
			 2001-02 2.3 23 2.8 29 
			 2002-03 2.2 22 2.7 26 
			 2003-04 2.2 21 2.5 25 
			 2004-05 2.1 21 2.4 24 
			 (1)Disabled people is the total of disabled children, disabled working age and disabled pensioners.  Notes: BHC=Before Housing Costs AHC=After Housing Costs  Source: Family Resources Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Disabled people( 1)  living in households with less than 60 per cent. contemporary mean incomeGreat Britain 
			   Number BHC  Million)  Proportion BHC  (Percentage)  Number AHC  (Million)  Proportion AHC  (Percentage) 
			 1996-97 3.3 37 3.7 41 
			 1997-98 3.8 39 4.1 42 
			 1998-99 4.1 40 4.4 43 
			 1999-2000 3.8 40 4.2 43 
			 2000-01 4.1 40 4.4 43 
			 2001-02 4.0 41 4.1 42 
			 2002-03 4.0 38 4.3 41 
			 2003-04 3.8 37 4.0 40 
			 2004-05 3.8 37 4.0 39 
			 (1) Disabled people is the total of disabled children, disabled working age and disabled pensioners.  Notes: BHC=Before Housing Costs AHC=After Housing Costs  Source:  Family Resources Survey

Remploy

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when approval was given for the Chief Operating Officer of Remploy to take on additional or external commitments as  (a) a member of the Competition Commission's Reporting Panel,  (b) a member of the Foster Review of further education and  (c) a company secretary of Hill Executive Action Ltd.; and who has responsibility for approving such commitments.

Anne McGuire: During 2005 approval was given by Remploy for the Chief Operating Officer to be a member of the Competition Commission's Reporting Panel and a member of the Foster Review of further education. The Chief Operating Officer's commitments as Company Secretary of Hill Executive do not have any impact on her role as Chief Operating Officer and, as such, do not require approval by Remploy.
	Approval for additional or external commitments must be given by either the Chairman or the Chief Executive of Remploy.

Shrewsbury Senior Citizens Forum

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will give a Government grant to help Shrewsbury Senior Citizens Forum run their association.

James Purnell: Senior citizens' forums are independent of Government and responsible for financing themselves as such we have no plans to offer a Government grant to Shrewsbury Senior Citizens' Forum.

Sure Start Maternity Grant

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster have received the Sure Start maternity grant since 2001.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Sure Start Maternity Grants for South East Yorkshire Social Fund District 
			   Number of awards 
			 2001-02 2,360 
			 2002-03 2,690 
			 2003-04 to 30 April 180 
		
	
	
		
			  Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District 
			   Number of awards 
			 2003-04 from 1 May 2,220 
			 2004-05 2,320 
			 2005-06 2,250 
		
	
	
		
			  Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District and Sheffield Jobcentre Plus District 
			   Number of awards 
			 2004-05 4,930 
			 2005-06 4,780 
			 2006-07 to 30 June 1,200 
		
	
	
		
			  Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by the interim Doncaster District 
			   Number of awards 
			 2003-04 1 to 31 May 130 
		
	
	
		
			  Sure Start Maternity Grants for area covered by Doncaster Jobcentre Plus District 
			   Number of awards 
			 2003-04 from 1 June 1,550 
			 2004-05 1,760 
			 2005-06 1,770 
			 2006-07 to 30 June 450 
			  Notes: 1. Data are only available by Jobcentre Plus District, and, before Jobcentre Plus Districts were used for the administration of the social fund, by social fund district. 2. Barnsley and Doncaster both used to be part of South East Yorkshire Social Fund District. In May 2003, Barnsley became part of the new Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District and Doncaster became part of the interim Doncaster District. In June 2003, the Doncaster Jobcentre Plus District was formed by removing the Isle of Axholme from the interim Doncaster District. Although Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District and Doncaster Jobcentre Plus District merged on 1 April 2005, they continued as separate districts for Social Fund purposes. 3. In April 2006, Barnsley and Rotherham Jobcentre Plus District was merged with Sheffield Jobcentre Plus District to form Yorkshire and Humberside Social Fund, S. Yorkshire District. The third table allows comparison between data for 2006-07 and earlier years. 4. Different tables thus refer to different areas and so data in one table are not comparable with data in another. 5. Figures are for all awards, irrespective of whether the award was made to the mother or her partner. 6. Some women will have received more than one Sure Start Maternity Grant since 2001-02. 7. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System

Unemployment

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of people in the  (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and  (b) Sunderland city council area were unemployed in each year since 1997; and what estimate he has made of change in the total amount paid in benefits due to the change in employment levels over the period.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. Information on the number of people in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in the Houghton and Washington East constituency and Sunderland city council area is in the table, together with the proportion of the working-age population for the local authority; no proportion of population is available for constituencies.
	
		
			  JSA claimants in Houghton and Washington East parliamentary constituency and Sunderland local authority area: June 1997 to June 2006 
			 As at June each year  Houghton and Washington East PC  Sunderland LA claimants  Sunderland LA percentage population 
			 1997 2,603 10,777 6.1 
			 1998 2,254 9,488 5.4 
			 1999 2,475 9,532 5.5 
			 2000 2,180 8,695 5.0 
			 2001 2,056 7,611 4.4 
			 2002 1,823 6,891 4.0 
			 2003 1,667 6,250 3.5 
			 2004 1,300 5,128 2.9 
			 2005 1,256 5,278 3.0 
			 2006 1,474 6,048 3.4 
			  Notes: 1. Jobseeker's Allowance figures are un-rounded and percentages rounded to one decimal place. 2. Jobseeker's Allowance figures are not seasonally adjusted.  Source:  Count of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (including clerically held cases). ONS Mid-year population estimates. 
		
	
	The change in expenditure for jobseeker's allowance in Great Britain between 1996-97 and 2005-06 is in the following table.
	
		
			  Jobseeker's allowance expenditure in Great Britain (real terms 2006-07 prices ) 
			   million 
			   1996-97 (out-turn)  2005-06 (estimated outturn) 
			 Jobseeker's Allowance (contributory) 421 500 
			 Jobseeker's Allowance (income based) 2,320 1,844

Veterans (Incapacity Benefit)

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the number of veterans on incapacity benefit due to  (a) mental health conditions and  (b) physical conditions.

Anne McGuire: The information is not available. No record is kept on the incapacity benefit system of a claimant's employer or former employer.

Volunteers

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the Government will change the benefits rules to allow volunteers on benefits to be paid the cost of lunch.

James Plaskitt: When considering entitlement to means-tested benefits all income should be taken into account. To not do so would set an inappropriate precedent and represent unequal treatment within the income rules. If an organisation provides a lunch to a volunteer, benefit entitlement is not affected. However, we are aware of and listening to the concerns that have been raised. The Department is looking at this issue as part of a wider examination of the way the benefit system works.

Warm Front

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in respect of the warm front scheme; and whether the Department passes information to the warm front team regarding individuals' benefit entitlements.

James Purnell: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to working with others to reduce fuel poverty, particularly among vulnerable groups such as pensioners. This includes working with other Government Departments, for example Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and with the Warm Front scheme manager.
	Since June 2005, The Pension Service has been co-operating with the Eaga partnership, the largest administrator of energy efficiency schemes in the UK and the provider of the Warm Front Scheme, on behalf of DEFRA.
	Pensioners who contact Eaga for help under the Warm Front Scheme but who are not receiving a benefit that would enable them to qualify for help, for example pension credit, are offered a comprehensive benefit entitlement check.
	Where Eaga identifies potential entitlement to pension credit, the pensioner's details are passed, with the pensioner's consent, to The Pension Service. The pensioner is then contacted by The Pension Service and where entitlement to pension credit is confirmed, benefit is put into payment. The Pension Service informs Eaga of this and Eaga are able to implement the help available under the Warm Front Scheme.
	As well as contributing in a practical way to the attack on fuel poverty in pensioner households and simplifying matters for pensioners, the partnership between The Pension Service and Eaga supports the development of options for delivering more integrated, flexible and efficient services to pensioners.
	The initiative is well in accord with DWP's Link-Age programme which exists to improve access for older people to information about the services available and the help provided.

Way Forward Programme

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the timetable is for the roll out of the Way Forward programme in delivery of benefits to cancer patients.

Anne McGuire: The Government believe that good benefit advice should be available to everyone whatever their disability to enable them to make informed decisions about possible entitlement to benefit. The Department goes to great lengths to ensure that people are aware of the benefits that are available and how to claim them. While we have no plans to roll out a programme of benefit delivery specifically for cancer patients, we and the Department of Health are working closely with organisations such as Macmillan Cancer Support to improve the way benefit advice is delivered to all patients.

Welfare Reform Bill

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what new obligations the Welfare Reform Bill will place on local authorities; and whether they will be compensated under the Department for Communities and Local Government's New Burdens principle.

James Plaskitt: The overall reform strategy for housing benefit continues to focus on streamlining policy rules and working with local authorities to improve local authority administration of housing and council tax benefit. We do not believe that the measures included in the Welfare Reform Bill present any significant additional obligations or burdens on local authorities.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of people in the  (a) Houghton and Washington East constituency and  (b) Sunderland City Council area have received the winter allowance for pensioners in each year since it was introduced.

James Purnell: Information that is available in is the following tables. Information relating to the 1997-99 winters is not available.
	It is not possible to provide the percentage of pensioners in the Houghton and Washington East constituency who have received the Winter Fuel Payment because the information is not available by parliamentary constituency.
	
		
			  Houghton and Washington East constituency 
			   Number of payments made 
			 1999-2000 14,270 
			 2000-01 16,130 
			 2001-02 16,230 
			 2002-03 16,430 
			 2003-04 16,640 
			 2004-05 16,310 
			 2005-06 16,310 
		
	
	
		
			  Sunderland local authority 
			   Number of payments made  Percentage of people 60 years or over 
			 1999-2000 49,000 83.9 
			 2000-01 54,580 91.8 
			 2001-02 54,500 93.7 
			 2002-03 54,600 94.2 
			 2003-04 54,810 93.2 
			 2004-05 53,340 90.2 
			 2005-06 53,330 90.2 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Population figures are mid year estimates of people aged 60 plus and are not available by Parliamentary Constituency. 3. Figures for 2005-2006 refer only the main payment run so they do not include the late payment run figures. The final figures will be available shortly and placed in the Library.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners claimed winter fuel allowance in each London borough in the last 12 months.

James Purnell: The number of people aged 60 or over who received a winter fuel payment in each London borough for winter 2005-06 is provided as follows:
	
		
			  London GOR  Number of individuals receiving a winter fuel payment in winter 2005-06 
			  Inner LondonWest  
			 Camden 25,610 
			 City of London 1,110 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 19,560 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 19,130 
			 Wandsworth 33,760 
			 Westminster 25,910 
			  Inner LondonEast  
			 Hackney 21,260 
			 Haringey 26,820 
			 Islington 21,910 
			 Lambeth 29,190 
			 Lewisham 32,590 
			 Newham 25,140 
			 Southwark 27,850 
			 Tower Hamlets 20,590 
			   
			  Outer LondonEast and North East  
			 Barking and Dagenham 24,840 
			 Bexley 43,890 
			 Enfield 45,650 
			 Greenwich 31,750 
			 Havering 49,030 
			 Redbridge 39,590 
			 Waltham Forest 31,120 
			   
			  Outer LondonSouth  
			 Bromley 62,170 
			 Croydon 53,180 
			 Kingston upon Thames 23,720 
			 Merton 27,790 
			 Sutton 32,520 
			   
			  Outer LondonWest and North West  
			 Barnet 53,450 
			 Brent 36,900 
			 Ealing 42,120 
			 Harrow 37,680 
			 Hillingdon 41,690 
			 Hounslow 31,200 
			 Richmond upon Thames 29,420 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Local Authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. 3. These figures refer only to the main payment run so they do not include the late payment run figures. Final figures will be available shortly and placed in the Library.  Source: Information Directorate, 100 per cent. Sample.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of extending the Winter Fuel Payment Scheme to disabled people under 60 years.

James Purnell: The estimated annual cost of extending the winter fuel payment to disabled people aged below 60 years who are in receipt of either the middle or higher rate care component or the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance is 280 million for 2005-06.

Worklessness

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations he has undertaken to address worklessness in Liverpool, Riverside; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 18 July 2006
	Tackling the problems created by worklessness is central to meeting our aim of increasing prosperity and reducing poverty and social exclusion. We have recently written to 45 local authorities, including Liverpool, to request expressions of interest (EOI) for our Cities Strategy which will bring public, private and voluntary sectors together into a concerted local programme to improve the way support for jobless people is co-ordinated and delivered. We are now considering all the EOIs and will be announcing successful pathfinder areas shortly.
	In Liverpool, Riverside, we are working with the local authority, as well as the voluntary, community and private sectors to deliver initiatives to tackle worklessness. These include 'Step Closer 2 Work' which is a programme to help those in receipt of incapacity benefits move closer to the labour market and the 'Diversity and Social Inclusion Project' which aims to reduce worklessness by the provision of training and work experience. I was able to see some of the excellent work being done to tackle worklessness when I visited Liverpool Riverside last month. This included meeting the team running 'Streets Ahead' which is a city wide initiative delivered by a number of partner agencies, aimed at helping disadvantaged people into work.
	In Liverpool, we undertook consultations with key partners around the introduction of our Pathways to Work programme, which has already shown significant success in getting people off incapacity benefits and into employment and was rolled out in Liverpool in April. Private and voluntary sector providers deliver and support a number of different programmes within our Pathways to Work pilots.
	In Liverpool, we hold bi-monthly meetings which are attended by a range of partners, including Liverpool city council and Connexions. The meetings focus on addressing the educational, training and employment needs of local workless residents, including those in Liverpool, Riverside.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Academic Research

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding her Department is providing to academic institutions to conduct research, broken down by project.

Angela Smith: Details of research projects commissioned by the DCLG are available from our Research Management Database (RMD) at http:// www.rmd.communities.gov.uk. This includes information about the contractors and the cost of each individual project.

Advertising

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for the revision of outdoor advertising planning regulations.

Yvette Cooper: We published the draft Control of Advertisements Regulations for consultation on 24 July.

Arson

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many incidents of arson there were in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 July 2006 (UIN 86836).

Casinos

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what previous connection Professor Stephen Crow of the Casino Advisory Panel has had with the Department in the past.

Yvette Cooper: Between 1988 and his retirement in 1994, Stephen Crow was the Chief Planning Inspector of the Planning Inspectorate. Prior to his appointment as Chief Planning Inspector he was a field Inspector determining planning appeals and other casework. Since his retirement he has acted as independent chairperson of Examinations in Public into the following:
	Regional Planning Guidance for the South-East (RPG 9) June 1999
	Shropshire, Telford  Wrekin Structure PlanJan 2001
	Devon Joint Structure PlanJune 2003
	Cornwall Structure PlanJuly 2003
	Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Joint Structure Plan June 2004
	NW Regional Spatial Strategy amendments November 2004
	In undertaking Structure Plan examinations, the chair reported to the local authority concerned, not the Secretary of State.
	He also did research work on Completion Notices for DTLR in 2001.

Civil Servants (Expenses)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 27 June 2006 , Official Report, column 289W, on civil servants (expenses), how much of the expenditure on temporary overnight accommodation in London by civil servants was incurred on accommodation for civil servants in the Deputy Prime Minister's private office.

Angela Smith: Information is not collected in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Community Land Trusts

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research her Department  (a) is conducting and  (b) has commissioned into the use of community land trusts.

Yvette Cooper: The Housing Corporation has funded research on community land trusts:
	It funded a research report published in 2003 by the New Economics Foundation and CDS Co-operatives;
	It part-funded research by Community Finance Solutions of Salford university published by the Countryside Agency in 2005; and
	It also announced on 22 June 2006 that it was providing 120,000 for practical research on pilot community land trusts by Community Finance Solutions.
	English Partnerships is also currently developing a pilot community land trust to deliver affordable housing on public sector land at Cashes Green, Stroud.

Conservation Areas

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many designated conservation areas there are in England.

Yvette Cooper: This information is not held centrally.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's  (a) photography best practice guide and  (b) COVO manual mentioned in clause 3.7.11, of Section 2 of the VOA's Council Tax Manual.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The  (a) best practice guide and  (b) COVU manual mentioned in section 2, part 3.7.11, of the Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Manual are internal technical instructions on use of the agency's digital photography application and how, when and where to store digital photographs on the agency's central database to ensure overall system performance is not affected. It is not appropriate to place these documents in the Library.

Departmental Contracts

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what contracts her Department and its predecessors have entered into with  (a) Infoterra Ltd. and  (b) BlueSky International Ltd. since 1997.

Angela Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and its predecessors has let the following contracts with Infoterra since 1997:
	National Land Use Database Pilots 1  2: Creation of Urban and Rural Baseline Datasets;
	National Land Use Database: County Demonstrator; and
	Generalised Land Use Database: Pilot Phase.
	DCLG has not let any contracts with Bluesky International Ltd.

Departmental Staff

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 27 June 2006,  Official Report, column 290W, on departmental staff, which Government Department will take over the use of the vacated office space at 26 Whitehall once her civil servants are relocated to Eland House.

Angela Smith: Current plans are for the Department for Communities and Local Government to continue using 26 Whitehall as accommodation until the Department's occupancy agreement with the Cabinet Office comes to an end in March 2008. At present it is planned that staff moved from Eland Road to free accommodation for DCLG ministers and civil servants from 26 Whitehall will backfill the vacated office space.

Empty Dwellings

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what mechanism her Department has initiated for estimating the number of empty dwelling management orders issued by councils and property tribunals.

Yvette Cooper: Local authorities are required to keep a register of all management orders made by them under the powers in the Housing Act 2004, including any empty dwelling management orders. The information must be made available for public inspection.
	All applications from local housing authorities to make interim empty dwelling management orders must be authorised by a Residential Property Tribunal. The Residential Property Tribunal Service will record and publish on its website the decisions that the tribunals take. The Department will monitor this information.

Empty Dwellings

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the letter sent by her Department to local authorities on empty dwelling management orders and mentioned in her Department's press statement of 13 July issuing guidance on the procedures to be followed when taking control of a private sector home following the death of the owner.

Yvette Cooper: Copies of the letter dated 6 July from Baroness Andrews to local authority chief executives have been placed in the Library.

Empty Dwellings

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her policy is on empty private sector housing.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 10 July 2006
	There are over half a million empty private sector homes in England. More than half of these remain empty for longer than six months and a significant proportion are abandoned for years. Empty homes can quickly fall into disrepair and the longer they remain empty the more likely it is that they will become derelict and prohibitively expensive to bring back into use. Empty homes can create significant problems for local authorities, the police and fire services. They blight the homes of neighbouring residents, are vulnerable to squatters, vandals, drug-dealers and arsonists, are bad for the environment and restrict housing opportunities available to people in areas of high housing demand.
	Our policy response is to promote effective empty homes strategies by local authorities that emphasise opportunities to work with property owners to find solutions that allow their properties to be brought back into use. We encourage local authorities to offer incentives ranging from advice on selling and letting property to grants and leasing arrangements. We have also introduced a range of fiscal incentive for owners of empty properties through VAT, capital allowances and council tax.
	We consider that local authorities must, as a last resort, have access to effective enforcement procedures for long term empty properties where voluntary measures have been declined and owners cannot demonstrate that they intend to bring their properties back into use. Local authorities have access to compulsory purchase procedures to deal with empty homes and may enforce the sale of properties on which they have carried out works. We have recently introduced Empty Dwelling Management Orders as an alternative solution that protects the rights of property owners.
	We work closely with the Empty Homes Agency, which is an independent charitable organisation that seeks to find effective solutions to the problems posed by empty homes. The Agency works closely with local authorities and has recently published guidance on setting effective empty homes strategies.

Fire Prevention

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what targets the Government have set for fire authorities in relation to fire prevention.

Angela Smith: The Government's Public Service Agreement (PSA) contains two targets for the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in England. The first is to reduce the number of accidental fire-related deaths in the home by 20 per cent. averaged over the 11-year period to March 2010 compared with the average recorded in the five-year period to March 1999with a floor element that no local authority fire brigade will have a fatality rate more than 1.25 times the national average by March 2010. The second target is to reduce by 10 per cent. the number of deliberate fires by 31 March 2010 from the 2001-02 baseline figure.
	The FRS is making good progress towards achieving this target. Latest provisional figures show that there were 216 deaths in the 12 months to 30 September 2005, 53 fewer then in the previous 12 months. This represents a fall of 20 per cent. At present five FRAs have more than 1.25 times the number of fatalities in the home than the national average. Deliberate primary fires have also fallen in the latest 12 months, 67,900 were recorded. This is 28 per cent. below the 2010 PSA target of 94,000.

Fire Service

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 16 May 2006,  Official Report, column 924W, on the Fire Service, what estimate the Government have made of the number of armed forces personnel who have been trained to operate fire services appliances and equipment.

Angela Smith: If the Government agree to the provision of emergency cover, the most readily available units are diverted from armed forces tasks and trained to operate fire service appliances and equipment prior to their deployment. There are no armed forces personnel on permanent standby or permanently trained to provide emergency fire cover.

Fire Service

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the merits of no-strike clauses in firefighters' contracts; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Contracts of employment are a matter for individual fire and rescue authorities and pay and conditions of uniformed employees in the fire and rescue service are a matter for the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services.

First-time Buyers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what programmes there are to assist first-time buyers in London.

Yvette Cooper: The HomeBuy scheme has three products available, based on equity sharing, which can help first time buyers to get a first step on the housing ladder. Social HomeBuy enables tenants of participating local authorities and housing associations to buy a share in the property in which they live; Open Market HomeBuy enables purchasers to buy a property on the open market with the help of an equity loan; and New Build HomeBuy, which includes the First Time Buyers' Initiative, will enable purchasers to buy a share in a newly built property with public subsidy or on public sector land.
	The First Time Buyers' Initiative is being developed by English Partnerships to deliver up to 15,000 new affordable homes across England by 2010 utilising public land where possible. About 4,500 of these homes will be in London, including up to 1,500 homes provided through the London Wide Initiative on publicly owned brownfield sites.
	In addition, eligible social tenants in London may also be helped to buy their rented home at a discount through the right to buy and right to acquire schemes.
	We are investing over 415 million in the Homebuy scheme in London through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme in London for 2006-08. This will deliver some 6,000 New Build HomeBuy homes, 740 Social HomeBuy sales and 5,000 Open Market HomeBuy sales.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department and its predecessors have given the Planning Inspectorate since May 1997 on residential development on gardens.

Yvette Cooper: Planning Inspectors make judgments in the context of published policy and guidance. Since 1997, this would have included PPG3 and associated guidance carried forward from the previous administration and subsequent revisions to PPG3 and associated guidance since then.

Housing

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses have been built in West Lancashire in the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: The numbers of new build completions reported for West Lancashire since 2001-02 are in the following table.
	
		
			   New build completions 
			 2001-02 274 
			 2002-03 411 
			 2003-04 256 
			 2004-05 422 
			 2005-06 143 
			 Total 1,506

Housing

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding is available for temporary to permanent housing initiatives in the 2006 to 2008 National Affordable Housing Programme in West Suffolk.

Yvette Cooper: At present no funds have been made available in Suffolk for temporary to permanent housing initiatives through the Affordable Housing Programme 2006-08.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government (DLCG) supports innovative schemes which provide settled housing solutions for households in temporary accommodation. Where these schemes offer value for money but require capital investment DCLG would encourage regional housing boards to support bids for Affordable Housing Programme funding.
	Affordable housing schemes in Suffolk have been allocated 23.4 million through the Housing Corporation's Affordable Housing Programme for 2006-08.

Housing

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses in West Suffolk have had improvements under the Decent Homes Standard scheme; and what the cost of such improvements has been.

Yvette Cooper: Both St. Edmundsbury borough council and Forrest Heath district council have transferred all of their housing stock to registered social landlords (RSL's), in 2002 and 2004 respectively. At the point of transfer Forest Heath (King's Forrest RSL) reported 30 non-decent homes and St. Edmundsbury (Havering Housing Partnership) reported 2,795.
	At April 2005 Kings Forest RSL reported 0 non-decent homes and Havering Housing Partnership reported 11.
	As RSLs are independent, largely self-financing, bodies, we do not hold data on the costs of this work.

Housing

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what restrictions apply to the sale to tenants of housing association homes built as a result of housing association grants.

Yvette Cooper: The information is as follows.
	The Right to Acquire is a scheme that enables eligible tenants of registered social landlords to buy the home they currently rent. It applies to property built or purchased with public funds, or transferred by a local authority after 1 April 1997. A number of restrictions apply, and we set under part V of the Housing Act 1985 as amended by the Housing Act 2004, the Housing (Right to Acquire) Regulations 1997, or under one of the Housing (Right to Acquire or Enfranchisement) (Designated Rural Areas) Orders 1997.
	Exemptions from RTA include:
	properties in areas designated as rural by the Secretary of State. These are generally small rural settlements where the population is 3,000 or fewer and where replacing the social housing sold would not be possible.
	properties where the landlord has insufficient legal interest ie where the property is a house, a lease with a term less than 21 years and for a flat, a lease with a term less than 50 years;
	the landlord is a co-operative housing association;
	properties let in connection with employment;
	properties designed with special features for letting to people with physical disabilities. To gain exemption the property should be one of a group of properties normally let to people with physical disabilities and a social service or special facility is provided close by wholly or partly to assist the tenants;
	properties with special facilities let to tenants who are suffering or have suffered from a mental disorder. As above the property must be one of a group of properties and a social service or special facility must be provided close by wholly or partly to assist the tenants;
	properties which are one of a group of properties which it is the practice of the landlord to keep for occupation by persons who have special needs and require intensive housing assistance and such intensive housing assistance is provided either directly or indirectly by the landlord;
	properties let to persons of pensionable age. Such properties must be one of a group of properties let to the elderly and have special facilities consisting of or including a resident warden, a non-resident warden with a calling facility and a common room close by;
	properties held on Crown tenancies;
	properties where the attributable loan debt is equal to or greater that its current market value;
	properties that are due to be demolished within 24 months of an RSL serving a final demolition notice, and having followed the prescribed notification process as contained in s182 of the Housing Act 2004.
	The above list is not exhaustive, applicants should contact their landlord to ascertain whether their property qualifies.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government have taken to promote the conversion of space above shops into residential use since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: We have consistently promoted reuse of empty properties including opportunities to convert unoccupied space above shops. We introduced a specific tax incentive for flats above shops conversions in Budget 2001 and have worked with the British Property Federation and other property industry stakeholders to identify barriers that prevent more unoccupied space above shops from being converted.

Housing

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many vacant homes there are in each London borough; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The following vacant dwellings were reported by each London borough as at October 2005:
	
		
			  Borough  Total vacant homes 
			 Barking and Dagenham 1,906 
			 Barnet 3,767 
			 Bexley 2,157 
			 Brent 2,762 
			 Bromley 3,741 
			 Camden 2,895 
			 City of London 123 
			 Croydon 4,376 
			 Ealing 2,971 
			 Enfield 4,301 
			 Greenwich 3,295 
			 Hackney 3,626 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,588 
			 Haringey 1,678 
			 Harrow 1,378 
			 Havering 2,636 
			 Hillingdon 2,302 
			 Hounslow 1,865 
			 Islington 1,970 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2,901 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,913 
			 Lambeth 3,015 
			 Lewisham 1,590 
			 Merton 2,085 
			 Newham 3,138 
			 Redbridge 2,276 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,966 
			 Southwark 2,723 
			 Sutton 2,643 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,081 
			 Waltham Forest 1,924 
			 Wandsworth 3,044 
			 Westminster 3,914 
			 London 85,550 
			  Source: Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1) returns. 
		
	
	These figures are for all vacant dwellings, including dwellings that have been empty for less than six months, some for less than one month.

Housing

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many dwellings there were in Bournemouth in  (a) 1997 and  (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: Bournemouth district council have reported the following number of dwellings:
	April 199773,841
	October 200580,274
	 Source:
	Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) and Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1) return to DCLG

Housing

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many vacant homes there are in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster.

Yvette Cooper: Barnsley district council and Doncaster district council have reported the following vacant dwellings as in October 2005:
	Barnsley3,616
	Doncaster5,336
	 Source:
	Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1) return to DCLG

Housing

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions  (a) she,  (b) her Ministers and  (c) her officials have had with the Ministry of Defence on local connection for the purpose of entitlement to social housing.

Yvette Cooper: There have as yet been no discussions between the Secretary of State and her Ministers and the Ministry of Defence on this issue. However, there are ongoing discussions between the two Departments at official level.

Housing

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty homes there were in each local authority in England in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 24 July 2006
	A table showing the number of vacant dwellings as reported by each local authority in England, in each year from 1997 to 2005, has been placed in the Library of the House. The figures presented are for all vacant dwellings, including dwellings that have been empty for less than six months, some for less than one month.

Housing

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new homes have been built on  (a) brownfield and  (b) greenfield land in (i) Rochford district council area, (ii) Southend-on-Sea borough council and (iii) Rochford and Southend East constituency in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Estimates for Rochford district council and Southend-on-Sea borough council are as follows:
	
		
			  Rochford district council 
			   New dwellings 
			   Number  Percentage on brownfield  Percentage on greenfield 
			 1997 303 39 61 
			 1998 358 37 63 
			 1999 384 59 41 
			 2000 173 57 43 
			 2001 182 57 43 
			 2002 139 63 37 
			 2003 174 52 48 
			 2004 99 45 55 
		
	
	
		
			  Southend-on-Sea borough council 
			   New dwellings 
			   Number  Percentage on brownfield  Percentage on greenfield 
			 1997 154 99 1 
			 1998 187 79 21 
			 1999 153 95 5 
			 2000 152 97 3 
			 2001 122 72 28 
			 2002 128 100 0 
			 2003 120 93 7 
			 2004 260 100 0 
		
	
	The numbers of new dwellings estimates are from completions figures supplied by the local authorities. Proportions on brownfield and greenfield land are from the Department's Land Use Change Statistics. The figures do not include conversions. Information for the constituency, which cuts across local authority boundaries, is not available.

Housing

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes there were in  (a) Rochford District Council area,  (b) Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and  (c) Rochford and Southend East constituency in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Since 1997 Rochford district council and Southend-on-Sea borough council have reported the following dwellings:
	
		
			   Rochford  Southend on Sea 
			  April   
			 1997 31,511 74,481 
			 1998 31,649 74,772 
			 1999 31,963 74,828 
			 2000 32,132 75,115 
			 2001 32,291 75,231 
			  October   
			 2002 33,276 75,513 
			 2003 33,446 75,718 
			 2004 33,508 75,978 
			 2005 33,580 76,529

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the Housing Act 2004 on the operation of the right to buy; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The changes made by the Housing Act 2004 to the right to buy scheme were designed to tackle profiteering by tenants and by property developers, and to restore the scheme's focus on long-term home ownership and the building of stable communities.
	In particular, the Act discourages tenants from buying their homes at a discount in the knowledge that they will receive full market value compensation because the properties are scheduled for demolition. It also discourages them from selling on quickly to companies, which thereby acquire properties at discounted prices. The Act benefits tenants by requiring social landlords to provide them with more information about the costs of home ownership, including the costs of maintenance.
	It is up to each social landlord to fulfil the requirements of the legislation, in the light of local circumstances.

Housing

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how  (a) tenants and  (b) the public can assess the relative performance of housing associations; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 20 July 2006
	There are a number of ways in which tenants and the public can gain information on the performance of RSLs. An annual Housing Corporation Assessment (HCA) is published for each RSL with over 250 homes. This gives an overview of performance and a rating in respect of the RSL's performance in areas of governance, management, financial viability and where relevant, development. The Corporation also publishes performance indicator data for RSLs with over 250 homes and an Operating Costs Index which allows comparison to be made between the costs of similar organisations. Additionally, the Audit Commission which is responsible for the inspection of RSLs publishes a report on the performance of individual RSLs, including the award of a star rating.
	RSLs will also have individual arrangements in place for reporting to their own tenants.

Liverpool Regeneration

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding she has made available for regeneration in Liverpool, Riverside since 1997.

Phil Woolas: We do not hold the total figures of regeneration spend for the Riverside constituency since 1997. The following table details regeneration funding spent or allocated from which Riverside has benefited. For some budgets, it is not possible to disaggregate to ward and constituency boundaries.
	
		
			  Type of funding  Period  Area allocated  Amount ( million) 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 2001-02 to 2005-06 Riverside 26.4 
			  2006-07 to 2007-08(1) Riverside 14 
			 
			 Single Regeneration Budget 2000 to 2007-08 City Centre(2) (3)25 
			 
			 Housing Market Renewal Initiative Merseyside (Liverpool allocation only) 2003-04 Liverpool 2.7 
			  2004-05  17 
			  2005-06  28 
			  2006-07  26.7 
			  2007-08  29.8 
			 
			 New Deal for Communities (NDC) 2000-01 to 2009-10 Riverside (4)3 1 
			 
			 Objective 1 Liverpool City Council 2000 to 2006 City Centre 43 
			 
			 Liverpool Neighbourhood Regeneration Programme 2000 to 2006 Riverside (5)3. 4 
			   Riverside (6)6. 7 
			 (1) Forecast.  (2) Includes part of Riverside.  (3) Not fully allocated at present.  (4) Estimate.  (5) Schemes commissioned.  (6) Schemes currently in development. 
		
	
	In addition to the aforementioned funding, considerable amounts of funding have been made available from English Partnerships, the North West Development Agency and other sources. However it is not possible to identify funding which has gone specifically towards regeneration in the Riverside constituency as this information is not held at constituency level. Riverside will also have benefited from projects funded through objective 1 delivered across Merseyside, for example by the Learning and Skills Council, Business Link and Merseyside Special Investment Fund.

Local Government

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of funds in each local government pension scheme is invested in socially responsible investment funds.

Phil Woolas: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Individual Local Government Pension Scheme fund authorities in England and Wales can provide specific figures for their funds.

Local Government Reorganisation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment the Government has made of the merits of cancelling the  (a) 2007 and  (b) 2008 local elections to facilitate local government reorganisation in two-tier areas.

Phil Woolas: We have already confirmed that we expect and intend the 2007 and 2008 elections to go ahead. The details of our approach to restructuring will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper which will be published shortly after the summer recess.

Ordnance Survey

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what maximum or highest resolution of aerial photography Ordnance Survey holds for parts of England.

Angela Smith: The highest resolution aerial imagery held by Ordnance Survey is for those urban areas of England mapped at 1:1250 scale and is at 15cm resolution.

Ordnance Survey

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made with Ordnance Survey's Digital National Framework; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: The Digital National Framework (DNF) is an industry standard for integrating and sharing business and geographic information from multiple sources. It is supported by Ordnance Survey and a number of other organisations. DNF is directed and overseen by an Expert Group which has over 40 members from the public and private sectors and academia. The Group has produced a road map to achieve its aims and is actively working on most elements of this. All progress is reported on the DNF website at www.dnf.org. The majority of recent effort has been directed at creating a framework for unique identifiers.

Planning

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  whether Planning Gain Supplement will be levied on developments by  (a) local authorities and  (b) housing associations;
	(2)  whether Planning Gain Supplement will be levied on home extensions;
	(3)  if the Government will take into account Planning Gain Supplement revenues in the calculations for the distribution of  (a) local and  (b) regional grant allocations.

John Healey: The Government consulted on their proposals for Planning-gain Supplement (PGS), including on scope, in their consultation paper published alongside the 2005 pre-Budget report. As set out in the paper, the Government propose that home improvements should be excluded from PGS. In Budget 2006, the Government stated that PGS revenues would be separate from the local government funding settlement to serve as an incentive to support growth. Further announcements will be made by the end of the year.

Planning

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons parish and town councils are required to conduct all their deliberations on planning applications in public; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Unless the matter is confidential, parish and town councils are required to conduct their deliberations on planning applications in public in the interests of transparency and accountability.

Planning

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions she has had with Kate Barker on further changes to the planning system.

Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend had an introductory meeting with Kate Barker last month to discuss the review of land use planning that Kate Barker is currently conducting on behalf of the Government. I have also met Kate Barker on several occasions over the past eight months to discuss progress on her review.
	Kate Barker has now published her Interim Report, which the Government have welcomed. We look forward to seeing her recommendations later in the year on the further changes we need to make to build on the recent reform of the planning system.

Planning Policy Guidance Note 3

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the 2000 edition of Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG) applies in Wales; and whether draft PPG3 is intended to apply in Wales.

Yvette Cooper: The planning system in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly, which has its own planning policy framework governed by an overarching documentPlanning Policy Wales (PPW), which was first published in March 2002. This is supported by a range of technical advice notes, similar to our guidance and statements.
	Planning Guidance on Housing in Wales has recently been updated through the issuing of a Ministerial Interim Planning Policy Statement (June 2006) and the publication of TANs 1 (Joint Housing Land Availability Studies) and 2 (Planning and Affordable Housing) in June 2006.
	English planning guidance and planning policy statements can be used as material considerations in determining Welsh planning applications and appeals, where the Welsh policy framework does not cover the particular points in question.

Right to Buy

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been purchased under the right to buy scheme in  (a) rural and  (b) non-rural areas in each year since 1997, expressed (i) in absolute terms, (ii) per 1,000 population and (iii) per 1,000 households; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The numbers of right-to-buy sales in rural and urban local authorities are tabulated as follows. The number of right-to-buy sales is expressed in absolute terms and as the number of sales per 1,000 people and 1,000 households. Data for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The number of right-to-buy sales is as reported by local authorities and no adjustment is made for missing data.
	
		
			   Total  Per 1,000 population  Per 1,000 households 
			  Right-to-buy sales in rural local authorities
			 1998-99 10,469 0.59 1.4 
			 1999-2000 13,737 0.77 1.9 
			 2000-01 12,474 0.70 1.7 
			 2001-02 11,991 0.67 1.6 
			 2002-03 14,288 0.79 1.9 
			 2003-04 13,681 0.75 1.8 
			 2004-05 9,121 0.50 1.2 
			 
			  Right-to-buy sales in urban local authorities
			 1998-99 23,951 0.77 1.9 
			 1999-2000 28,930 0.93 2.3 
			 2000-01 36,422 1.17 2.8 
			 2001-02 36,793 1.17 2.8 
			 2002-03 45,610 1.44 3.5 
			 2003-04 53,825 1.70 4.1 
			 2004-05 39,068 1.23 2.9 
			  Source:  Quarterly returns (P1B) from local authorities to the Department for Communities and Local Government, Office for National Statistics population estimates, DCLG household estimates. 
		
	
	Local authorities have been classified as rural or urban according to definitions given by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. For further information on the DEFRA classification please see:
	http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/rural_resd/rural_definition.asp

Right to Buy

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many right-to-buy completions there were in West Lancashire in each year since 1996-97.

Yvette Cooper: The number of right-to-buy completions in West Lancashire in each year since 1996-97 can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government's website at:
	http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pub/383/Table648Excel545Kb_idl1156383.xls

Search Fees

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what amendments the Government have made to  (a) regulations and  (b) legislation relating to local authority search fees since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: The following amendments have been made to regulations and legislation relating to local authority fees for local land charge services since 1997.
	 (a) Regulations
	 Statutory Instrument 1998 No. 1190 - The Local Land Charges (Amendment) Rules 1998
	These rules specified the fees payable for local land charge services with effect from 1 June 1998.
	 Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 2502 - The Local Land Charges (Amendment) Rules 2003.
	These rules specified the fees payable for local land charge services with effect from 3 November 2003.
	 Statutory Instrument 2004 No. 3044 - The National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Function) Order 2004.
	This Order transfers the Lord Chancellor's power, with the consent of the Treasury, for setting fees for local land charge services in Wales to the National Assembly for Wales.
	 (b) Primary Legislation
	 The Constitutional Reform Act 2005, schedule 4, paragraphs 82 to 85.
	This Act amends the Local Land Charges Act 1975. The amendments provide for the transfer to registering authorities in England, of the Lord Chancellor's power, with the consent of the Treasury, for setting fees for local land charge services, other than fees for personal searches, in England.
	These amendments were brought into force by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (Commencement No. 5) Order 2006, (SI 2006 No. 1014) on 3 April 2006. The effect of the commencement order was modified by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (Supplementary Provisions) Order 2006, (SI 2006 No. 1693). This Order provides that from 3 April 2006 until 31 March 2007 the fees specified by registering authorities in England under section 13A Local Land Charges Act 1975 shall be those that were applicable immediately prior to 3 April 2006.
	No amendments have been made to regulations relating to fees for other local authority search services since 1997.
	The Office of Fair Trading made a number of recommendations to improve the operation of the property search market which we are working with other government departments to address.

Security Passes

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar, of 16 May 2006,  Official Report, column 928W, on security passes, how many security passes were issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in each previous year of its existence.

Angela Smith: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002. The total number of new and replacement permanent building passes issued for staff, contractors and consultants working in the London HQ buildings for each year since then up to the end of March 2005 is as follows:
	
		
			   Passes 
			 May 2002 to March 2003 1,394 
			 April 2003 to March 2004 1,593 
			 April 2004 to March 2005 1,375

Thames Gateway

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what publicly owned land in Kent has to be released to facilitate the implementation of the Thames Gateway project; and what the timetable is for that release.

Yvette Cooper: A number of publicly owned assets are being released for development throughout the Kent part of the Thames Gateway. Government have contributed to the acquisition and reclamation costs for some of these sites from the Thames Gateway expenditure programme. Other sites are already owned by private sector landownwers and developers. All of these sites will play a crucial role in meeting aspirations for new housing and jobs.
	The pace at which these sites will come forward for development depends partly on the planning process and partly on the market. In some cases this has already started. For example, the 264 acre 'Bridge' development in Dartford is being developed in a joint venture between Dartford council and ProLogis developers. Elsewhere at Rochester Riverside in Medway, DCLG is funding Medway council and the South East of England Development Agency to create a development platform on their land for future release for developmentat least some of which is likely to be marketed within the next 12 months. Investment partners are also currently being sought elsewhere in Medway to help bring major reclaimed sites now into development.
	All development on public and privately owned sites is subject to the planning process in the normal way. In Kent Thames Gateway this will be informed by the preparation of Local Development Frameworks in Dartford, Gravesham, Medway and Swale.

Thames Gateway

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment has been made of the socio economic benefits from the release of  (a) publicly owned and  (b) Government controlled land in Kent to facilitate the Thames Gateway plans; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The economic and social benefits from the release of public owned land for development will be set out in each individual development brief, area masterplan, sustainability assessment, design code and other local strategies that are part of the planning process and subject to a public consultation process. These economic and social benefits will be considered prior to disposal of these assets, as part of planning applications and as part of subsequent local planning decisions. In addition, individual organisations also approve their public investment through their relevant appraisal processes, which need to meet HMT 'Green Book' appraisal standards.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Anschutz Entertainment Group

Hugo Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which  (a) officials and  (b) representatives of Anschutz Entertainment Group and  (c) other parties with an interest in the millennium dome site were present at meetings during his trip to the US in July 2005.

John Prescott: holding answer 12 July 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to my letter of 4 July 2006, a copy of which is appended to the Memorandum from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to the Standards and Privileges Committee published on 21 July 2006.

Cantxx

Ben Wallace: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he has received official hospitality from Cantxx Ventures Ltd. and Cantxx UK and its associated companies in the last four years.

John Prescott: Hospitality received by Ministers is declared in the Register of Members' Interests as is appropriate.

Gifts

Hugo Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the gifts he has received whilst abroad on Government business.

John Prescott: The Government publish an annual list of gifts received by Ministers valued at more than 140. Information relating to 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006.

ISO 14001

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Office  (a) is committed to the achievement of environmental management to ISO14001 standard and  (b) has been externally certified as in compliance with that standard; and if he will make a statement.

John Prescott: Environmental Management Systems in my office are operated to the ISO 14001 standard.

Millennium Dome

Hugo Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role and responsibilities he has in relation to  (a) the millennium dome and  (b) the surrounding land.

John Prescott: None.

Ministerial Travel

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent on  (a) domestic flights and  (b) rail fares for his travel in an official capacity in 2005-06.

John Prescott: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the 'Ministerial Code' and 'Travel by Ministers', copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of 500. Information relating to 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006.

Ministerial Travel

Hugo Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the hospitality he has received while abroad since 1997.

John Prescott: Hospitality received by Ministers is declared in the Register of Members' interests as is appropriate.

Official Visit

Hugo Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the itinerary was for his visit to the United States in July 2005; and what the cost of  (a) his and  (b) his accompanying officials travel was for each part thereof.

John Prescott: holding answer 13 July 2006
	For details of my itinerary, I refer the hon. Member to the letter I wrote on 4 July 2006, a copy of which is appended to the Memorandum from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to the Standards and Privileges Committee, published on 21 July 2006. Since 1999, the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year and total costs of all ministerial overseas travel. Information relating to 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006.

Post Offices

Joan Walley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his responsibilities are in relation to Government policy on post offices; what recent work he has undertaken in respect of this responsibility; and what meetings he has attended within the past two months relating to post offices.

John Prescott: Responsibility for policy on post offices rests with the Department for Trade and Industry. I chair the Ministerial Committee on the Post Office Network (MISC33). The terms of reference of the Committee are 'to consider issues relating to the future of the Post Office network'. I am therefore responsible for ensuring the Government take a coordinated approach to issues relating to the Post Office network. Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when they meet, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Advertising Campaigns

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Solicitor-General what advertising campaigns the Department has run between 2000 and June 2004; and what the  (a) date and  (b) cost was of each.

Mike O'Brien: I am informed that none of my Departments ran advertising campaigns during 2000 and June 2004.

Crown Prosecution Service

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on the 2006 performance assessment of the Crown Prosecution Service, South Sector.

Mike O'Brien: CPS London South Sector was created in October 2003. The first HMCPSI Overall Performance Assessment report on the Sector covered 2004-05 and the Sector was rated 'Fair'. This assessment reflected a significant improvement on previous performance. Since then the performance of the Sector has continued to improve against key national targets.

Extradition

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Solicitor-General how many representations he has received on the US-UK Extradition Treaty in 2006.

Mike O'Brien: I have received 124 representations specifically on the UK-US Extradition Treaty and numerous other representations on extradition issues more generally.

Questionnaires

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many  (a) questionnaires,  (b) statistical inquiries and  (c) investigations have been carried out wholly or partly at public expense on behalf of or by the Law Officers' Departments or public bodies for which he is responsible in each year since 1997; and what the (i) nature, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost was in each case.

Mike O'Brien: I am answering on behalf of the all of the Law Officers Departments, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost, except the Treasury Solicitor's Department.
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department has, since 2002, undertaken an annual client satisfaction survey. Its purpose is to enable better understanding of clients' views about the services provided to them by the Department and to identify ways to improve that service. The cost of these surveys is predominantly the time spent by TSol staff in administering and recording this information and is estimated at 3,000 per annum. Client satisfaction ratings are among the Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) targets agreed with the Attorney General.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what resources he has committed to support the health infrastructure reconstruction of Afghanistan over the next three years.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not contribute to Afghanistan's Health Sector bilaterally, but through funding of the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), which helps fund the Government's recurrent costs. DFID has channelled 135 million through this since 2002. The ARTF covers much of the Government's wage bill, including the salaries of doctors and nurses. DFID has recently announced a further three year commitment to the ARTF which will fund the salaries of these key workers. Other donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Bank and the European Community take the lead in the health sector. DFID continues to support efforts to improve health services through multilateral funding.

Afghanistan

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to  (a) encourage and facilitate the safe return of and  (b) provide support for Afghan health workers who wish to return to Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not work bilaterally in the health sector. DFID does contribute to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund; one of the activities financed through this trust fund is the Afghanistan Expatriate Programme which enables the return of qualified Afghans to assist in reconstruction and capacity building.

Afghanistan

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Afghan authorities on the provision of mental health services.

Hilary Benn: DFID officials have had no recent discussions with Afghan authorities on the provision of mental health services. The European Commission, 19 per cent. of whose funding is provided by DFID, supports a basic health package which includes the provision of mental health services.

Afghanistan

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to support the Afghan authorities in the provision of  (a) comprehensive maternal and neonatal services,  (b) midwifery and nursing training and  (c) training for community health workers.

Hilary Benn: DFID supports the health sector in Afghanistan through the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund rather than bilaterally. The UK also provides 19 per cent. of the European Commission's 1 billion of development assistance pledged to Afghanistan between 2002-07. A large part of this funding goes towards developing Afghanistan's health sector, specifically to provide a basic package of health services to all Afghans, including maternal and newborn health; child health and immunisation; and nutrition.
	Recruiting, training and deploying health care workers (especially women) are real challenges, especially in rural areas. The absence of female health workers is being addressed by the World Health Organisation, which is running a variety of health courses to boost the number of skilled birth attendants, nurses and midwives.

Aid Programmes

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to his oral answer of 10 May 2006,  Official Report, column 297, on HIV/AIDS, what safeguards are in place to ensure that aid programmes are not used as a tool for sexual exploitation.

Gareth Thomas: Following the work of a taskforce led by UNICEF in 2002, a UN code of conduct for protection from sexual abuse was drawn up. This code now forms part of the terms and conditions of employment within the UN and all UN staff members are therefore bound by it. Local organisations contracted by the UN also have to sign up to this code. DFID has incorporated the same code into its own terms and conditions of employment.
	Following the recent report by the Save the Children Fund (SCF) on the exploitation of children in Liberia, DFID immediately organised a meeting with senior SCF staff to learn more about the accusations. DFID has subsequently raised these concerns with its operational partners to seek clarification from them on how their past and on-going operations have sought to prevent or address this problem. Safeguards for the prevention of sexual exploitation are now routinely part of DFID's appraisal of proposals for humanitarian operations.
	DFID has recently published a new humanitarian policy and we are reviewing our funding guidelines and procedures. This will include consideration of how we can continue to best incorporate the UN code of practice.

Criminal Offences

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many criminal offences his Department has created by Orders in Council in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: None.

Developing Countries

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps  (a) to co-ordinate and  (b) to implement an integrated approach across Departments to deal with climate change and poverty reduction in developing countries.

Hilary Benn: Informal working groups communicate regularly on climate change to ensure that all Departments have an opportunity to contribute to policy-making. Ministerial oversight is provided by the Ministerial Committee on Energy and Environment (EE) which is chaired by the Prime Minister.
	The Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has overall responsibility for climate change policy including tackling the causes of climate change, working to find ways to adapt to unavoidable climate change impacts, promoting effective science to inform policy, leading on international climate change negotiations, promoting energy efficiency, reducing emissions from industry and business, developing alternatives to fossil fuels and encouraging the protection and enhancement of carbon sinks. The Cabinet Office contributes to policy development and provides co-ordination mechanisms at senior official level.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) contributes foreign policy perspectives and analysis. The FCO's staff overseas maintains regular contact with host governments in order to analyse and report on countries' climate change policies and priorities, and to lobby for UK positions. The Department for Trade and Industry (DTI)'s role is to consider all aspects of climate change that impact on the energy and business sectors. This includes ensuring that that the competitiveness of industry is maintained and that issues affecting security of energy supply, energy prices and competitive energy markets are taken into account. Her Majesty's Treasury is involved across the whole range of business. The Chancellor has initiated a major review of the economics of climate change, headed by Sir Nick Stern.
	DFID takes the lead on ensuring effective integration of international development objectives into Her Majesty's Government policy. We have seconded two people to the Stern Review. We are helping developing countries adapt to unavoidable climate change impacts. We are working with the multilateral development banks to increase public and private investment in energy efficiency and lower carbon technologies. The UK Government's Development White Paper highlights climate change as one of the key challenges facing development, and sets out how the UK Government as a whole intends to address this challenge.

Developing Countries

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department gives to  (a) farmers and  (b) fishermen in developing countries to understand and achieve standards demanded by western consumer markets.

Gareth Thomas: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (DFID), launched DFID's agriculture policy in December 2005. This makes a commitment to work in partnership with the food industry to ensure that poor farmers in developing countries can access markets. DFID is working with supermarkets, standard setters and exporters to improve opportunities for farmers in developing countries to participate in international supply chains. We are also supporting work in Africa to support small farmer certification to supermarket standards. For example in Kenya, DFID has supported export horticultural development to the tune of 872,000 over the past three years. Much of these funds are spent assisting smallholders to cope with the process and cost of compliance with supermarket standards.
	DFID is also committed to working in partnership with international standard-setting organisations to ensure that new product standards are based on assessments of risk and are not attempts to protect markets. We support developing countries to participate in formal standard-setting procedures. DFID has contributed 950,000 to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) housed in the World Trade Organisation. STDF is a multi-donor funded programme that assists developing countries in improving their expertise and capacity to analyse and implement international sanitary and phytosanitary standards (SPS).
	DFID also supports the work of the European Commission's Directorate General (DG) for Trade. In 2006, the DG for Trade will provide 1.7 million to support developing countries to meet food safety standards and export their products to the European Union (EU). This provides jobs, economic growth and raises standards in developing countries.
	DFID recognises the importance of European markets to the fishing sectors of many developing countries and is an active proponent of greater coherence between EU fisheries trade and development policies. We encourage the EU to ensure that there is fair access to EU markets for developing countries and that resources are made available to help these countries develop capacity in standard setting, quality control and certification.
	DFID funded research programmes have supported the development of processing technologies for developing country fishermen. Currently we are funding a regional programme in Southern Africa that is supporting local fishing industries to develop the knowledge, skills and capacity to meet EU market requirements.
	More direct support to small-scale fishers, whose marketing needs are arguably greater than other groups within the sector, is also available through a 30 million EU programme of support to developing countries' fisheries sectors, which the UK supports. DFID also supports the activities of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) which plays an important role in the setting and implementation of policies relating to international standards and trade in fisheries products.

Developing Countries

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of his Department's support to improve teachers' wages in developing countries.

Gareth Thomas: The 2006 Education for All Global Monitoring Report states that salaries for teachers remain problematic. It reports that in Latin America, teacher salaries fail to attract the best candidates. However, some countries are trying to improve teachers' status. In China, salaries have been increased and a National Teachers Education Network established.
	The UK's commitment to provide approximately 8.5 billion of support to education in developing countries over the next 10 years, will provide predictable funding against which poor country governments can prepare ambitious sector plans to achieve the education goals. Our support will help in the development and implementation of 10 year plans, which will increase investment in schools, including recruiting and training more teachers. The status of teachers will be important in improving the quality of education.

Developing Countries

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has  (a) pledged,  (b) committed and  (c) spent on support for developing countries to plan for natural disasters.

Gareth Thomas: Much of DFID's support for disaster risk reduction and support to developing countries to plan for future disasters is integrated into wider development programmes so it is not possible to identify the exact amount allocated to this work.
	We are committed to allocating 10 per cent. of the funding provided by DFID in response to each major natural disaster to prepare for and mitigate the impact of future disasters where this can be done effectively. We pledged 7.5 million to the Indian Ocean region following the 2004 tsunami and 5.8 million to Pakistan following the earthquake for disaster risk reduction programmes.
	DFID is also providing significant contributions to the disaster risk reduction programmes of our multilateral partners. In 2005, we committed 12.5 million to international non-governmental organisations and 3.5 million to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent for disaster risk reduction work at the community level in Africa and Asia. The UK is the largest contributor of un-earmarked funds to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction at 1 million per year. In 2006, DFID committed over 4 million to the World Bank to help developing country governments incorporate disaster risk into Poverty Reduction Strategies, and 3 million to the ProVention Consortium.

Equal Opportunities

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures his Department will take to ensure that policies outlined in the White Paper will  (a) deliver equal employment opportunities for women,  (b) uphold equal pay and labour standards for women,  (c) advance equal property rights for women and  (d) endorse women's equal access to microfinance.

Hilary Benn: Gender discrimination is not only unjust but is an impediment to sustainable economic development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The policy paper Poverty Elimination and the Empowerment of Women sets out the Government's commitment to supporting gender equality and to ensuring that women are able to play a full role in economic life. In the White Paper, Eliminating World Poverty: making governance work for the poor, published earlier this month, the Government re-affirmed its intention to give priority to work in support of gender equality and women's rights in its development assistance. DFID is currently in the process of developing more detailed plans on how this commitment will be taken forward across the Department's operations. These plans should be completed by the end of the year; they will include work looking at the linkages between gender equality and economic growth.

Fast Track Initiative

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid for education his Department has provided under the Fast Track Initiative; and what plans he has to increase the amount.

Gareth Thomas: The UK is supporting the Fast Track Initiative (FTI) as part of our overall approach to accelerate progress towards quality primary education for all children by 2015. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development, recently announced an additional UK contribution of 100 million to the FTI Catalytic Fund, bringing our total support to 150 million. Our contribution over the next two years will cover nearly a quarter of the funding gap in the FTI.
	In addition, the UK is calling for other donors, especially G8 countries, to increase their support for an expanded FTI. We have urged other G8 countries to increase their support to education within the FTI framework, either directly through the FTI Catalytic Fund or by increasing their support for education in FTI endorsed countries.

FIFA World Cup

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which matches  (a) he and  (b) his departmental colleagues attended at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany in their Ministerial capacity; at what cost to public funds; and with what contribution from third party organisations.

Hilary Benn: Neither myself, nor my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development attended any FIFA World Cup 2006 matches in Germany in our Ministerial capacity.

Genetic Use Restriction Technologies

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  if he will commission an assessment of the impact of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies on  (a) free access to genetic resources and  (b) the food security and livelihoods of small scale farmers in developing countries;
	(2)  what assistance he has made available to support and enhance capacity building in developing countries to enable them to make decisions concerning the introduction of GM crops containing Genetic Use Restriction Technologies;
	(3)  what criteria will be used to determine that the conditions for the safe and beneficial use of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies in developing countries have been validated; and who will make that decision.

Gareth Thomas: DFID takes genetic modification in crops and foods and its potential impacts on poor people, including small-scale farmers, in developing countries very seriously. Our approach is based on the principle that the livelihoods and health of poor people and of their environment is of primary concern. We recognise that GM technology in itself will not solve the problem of world hunger. We consider that biotechnology, including gene technology, if managed responsibly and applied to those crops on which the poor rely, has the potential to make a contribution to development and poverty reduction.
	The parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) decided in 2000, that there should be a precautionary approach to their use while research into the possible impacts of these technologies was carried out. Parties at the CBD meeting in March this year reaffirmed this decision. Parties were also encouraged to continue to undertake further research on the impacts of GURTs and to share information from these studies and address capacity building for decision making in developing countries. As a party to the CBD, the UK Government will continually study research into the possible impact of GURTs. DFID is willing to consider funding assessments of the impact of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies on small scale farmers.
	Recognising that there are both potential benefits and risks associated with gene technologies and GM crops, developing countries should be able to make their own informed choices. To this end, DFID has worked with the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), other HMG Departments and the international community to establish the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, under the CBD. The protocol adopts a strong precautionary approach and aims to ensure that countries are provided with the information necessary to make informed decisions before agreeing to the import of genetically modified organisms. It also facilitates the exchange of information on living modified organisms and assists countries in the implementation of the protocol. This means that importing countries are able to make a decision to avoid or minimise potential adverse effects of GM organisms, even if there is a lack of scientific certainty on the extent of such potential adverse effects. We are working to ensure developing countries have the capacity to make informed decisions on these issues for themselves, for example by providing core support to regional African research bodies which are building capacity in biotechnology safety and regulation in their regions.
	It is for each party to the Convention on Biological Diversity to assess whether appropriate scientific data is available in relation to the field testing of products incorporating Genetic Use Restriction Technologies and to take decisions accordingly. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety seeks to provide the means for developing countries to make such decisions.

Genetic Use Restriction Technologies

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research projects the Government have  (a) undertaken and  (b) funded on appropriate scientific data for the field testing of products incorporating Genetic Use Restriction Technologies.

Gareth Thomas: The Government have not undertaken or funded any research projects specifically on the scientific data for the field testing of products incorporating Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs).

Middle East (Project Funding)

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which infrastructure projects funded by  (a) the EU and  (b) the UK have been destroyed by Israeli forces in Gaza in recent months.

Hilary Benn: Because of military activity, aid agencies currently face difficulty assessing the extent of damage to facilities in the Gaza Strip. However, initial reports from northern Gaza indicate that four schools and one clinic provided for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) have sustained heavy damage. 57 empty food containers leased by UNRWA have also been damaged at a cost of 31,000. The European Community and EU member states collectively provide more than half of UNRWA's core funding and two of the damaged schools were specifically financed from European Community funds.
	The main entrance bridge to Beit Hanun was partially destroyed by an Israeli air strike on 9 July. The bridge was built in 2004 with 205,000 in funding from the European Community.

Ministerial Meetings

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he last met the Scottish First Minister; and what subjects were discussed.

Hilary Benn: I last met with the Scottish First Minister on the 23 June in Edinburgh. We discussed the Scottish Parliament's Co-Operation Agreement with Malawi and the work DFID is undertaking in the health sector. The discussion also covered the capacity building work the Scottish Parliament is doing with the Malawi Parliament.

Ministerial Offices

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times his ministerial office has been decorated in each of the last five years.

Gareth Thomas: Ministerial offices were redecorated as part of the refurbishment of the building prior to DFID moving in, in 2001. They have not been redecorated since.

Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions he has visited each region in an official capacity in the last 12 months.

Hilary Benn: In the last 12 months I have visited Wales twice and Scotland three times. I have not made any visits to Northern Ireland. I have also made a number of visits to different parts of England.

Palestine

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Temporary International Mechanism in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza; what representations he has received on the effectiveness of the mechanism from British aid agencies working in the Occupied Territories; and what concerns they have expressed.

Hilary Benn: The Temporary International Mechanism, designed to help provide for Palestinians' basic needs, is providing vital assistance to the people of the Gaza Strip at this difficult time. Since 11 July, the mechanism has provided fuel for back-up generators at hospitals, health centres, water supply pumps and sanitation facilities. This has enabled equipment to continue operating during power cuts after Gaza's only power station was damaged in an Israeli attack.
	DFID is in regular contact with British aid organisations regarding the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In these discussions, several agencies have expressed concern that the Temporary International Mechanism does not provide support through the Palestinian Authority. Some agencies have also said that the range of areas covered by the mechanism should be wider than health, utilities and basic social support. The Government's view is that the mechanism has already proved its ability to ensure that basic services continue in very difficult circumstances in Gaza. Further support to ensure the continuation of essential health services throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories is expected to begin shortly. The Government will keep the mechanism, and the best ways for supporting the Palestinian people, under close review.

Palestine

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  which British  (a) aid agencies and  (b) other British organisations have made representations to his Department on the suspension of British aid to the Palestinian Authority; and which (i) supported and (ii) opposed the suspension of aid;
	(2)  what discussions his Department has had with British aid agencies working in Occupied Palestine on the suspension of direct British aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Hilary Benn: DFID is in regular contact with British aid organisations about the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Since Hamas' victory in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January, we have had meetings with representatives of Welfare Association, World Vision, Oxfam, Christian Aid, Interpal, War on Want, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Save the Children.
	The agencies attending these meetings all shared the Government's concern about the humanitarian situation and shared our view that humanitarian support to the Palestinian people should continue. The agencies also expressed concern that direct aid to the Palestinian Authority should not be suspended. We explained the UK Government's commitment to do all we can to support the Palestinian people. We also explained that DFID could not support a government when that government was committed to violence, terrorism and the destruction of Israel.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10 July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than  (a) two and  (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case.

Gareth Thomas: No questions tabled to DFID were still awaiting a reply as of 10 July. As of that date, 3,153 parliamentary questions had been tabled to DFID during the current parliamentary Session.
	The Department endeavours to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and also to provide answers to ordinary written questions within a working week of being tabled.

Security Passes

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many security passes have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen by staff in his Department in each year since February 2004.

Gareth Thomas: The number of passes lost and stolen since February 2004 is as follows:
	
		
			   Lost  Stolen 
			 February 2004-January 2005 30 0 
			 February 2005-January 2006 50 5 
			 February 2006 to date 25 0

Statutory Instruments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005.

Hilary Benn: None.
	Reports from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments contain full details of the statutory instruments which they have reported.

Sudan

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of whether international donors have met pledges to provide aid in Darfur.

Hilary Benn: The current UN appeal seeks $801 million (mostly for humanitarian assistance) for Darfur to cover the period up to 31 December 2006. So far, $345 million has been pledged by donors, and the bulk of these pledges have been met. A significant element of the 49 million provided by DFID to the Common Humanitarian Fund, covering the whole of Sudan, will be channelled to Darfur.
	The signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement in May has enabled work to begin on identifying the region's longer-term recovery and development needs. An assessment team is currently in Darfur, and will present a report to donors at a conference due to be held in The Hague later in the year. Donors will be able to pledge further financial support at this meeting.

Tropical Storm Bilis

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact on developing countries in the region of tropical storm Bilis.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has been monitoring the situation closely, and has been prepared to respond if necessary. There has not been any request for international assistance and needs are being met by the affected countries' governments and local response arrangements.

Tsunamis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to assist countries affected by the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in December 2005 in preparations to minimise the damage of future tsunamis.

Gareth Thomas: Following the tsunami in December 2004, DFID set aside 7.5 million of its humanitarian assistance to support disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities in the affected region.
	DFID is currently considering:
	support to DRR capacity building in Indonesia and Sri Lanka;
	support to the UN-International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and UNESCO/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission co-ordinated Indian Ocean Tsunami Early Warning System (IO-TEWS) programme and
	support to efforts by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to strengthen capacity in climate change adaptation planning in Asia.

UK Aid Expenditure

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the UK aid expenditure was on  (a) acute diarrhoeal illness,  (b) acute lower respiratory infections,  (c) child health,  (d) HIV/AIDS,  (e) malaria,  (f) poor nutrition,  (g) reproductive and maternal health,  (h) tuberculosis and  (i) vaccine preventable diseases in (i) 2004-05 and (ii) 2005-06; and what such spending is estimated to be for (A) 2006-07 and (B) 2007-08.

Gareth Thomas: It is not possible, to disaggregate UK aid expenditure by disease category or sub-sectors areas such as child health or reproductive and maternal health. DFID uses a range of different aid instruments to assist developing countries implement their national health plans. UK support ranges from direct budget support to funding delivered through multilateral agencies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF.
	The focus of DFID's work in health is to help countries strengthen their health systems to prevent and mitigate the impact of ill health including communicable diseases. Functioning systems are crucial for effectively tackling diarrhoeal diseases, pneumonia and vaccine preventable disease epidemics as well as HIV, TB and malaria and to deliver child and reproductive health services. With country partners DFID monitors improvements in health outcomes (e.g. reduced child mortality rates) or outputs (more children immunised against measles and fewer cases and deaths) rather than inputs targeting individual diseases. The exception is AIDS, where DFID does monitor spend against a government commitment to spend at least 1.5 billion over the three years 2005-06 to 2007-08.
	DFID's overall bilateral spend on the health sector was 363 million in 2004-05 through our country, regional and research programmes. We also provide general Poverty Reduction Budget Support to several developing countries to help build basic services. Some of this funding goes on health services, but is not captured within our sector specific spending figures which therefore somewhat underestimate our overall bilateral contribution to improving health in developing countries. In addition to our bilateral assistance we provided a further 110 million in 2004-05 for health through multilateral assistance including to the WHO and other UN agencies.
	We are also supporting a number of innovative financing mechanisms to increase resources to tackle communicable diseases. For example, the International Finance Facility for Immunisation will raise an additional 4 billion from a number of donors for vaccines for the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunisations and help support the development of new vaccines for communicable diseases that can be prevented.
	The specific spend on communicable diseases, other than AIDS, in 2004-05 was 80 million (out of the 363 million). Recording AIDS-specific expenditure requires careful analysis because there are a range of sectors which have an impact on the epidemic, including health, education, social development and good governance. There are also a range of instruments used to channel AIDS-related development spending. DFID has been working with the Joint United Nations Programme of HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and others to review and improve these expenditure calculations. While refinements to the methodology are still in progress DFID has reported a provisional bilateral expenditure of 350 million on AIDS for the period 2004-05.
	Expenditure data for 2005-06 by sector will not be released until the autumn and expenditure forecasts for 2006-07 and 2007-08 will be subject to the direction of DFID country programming in response to the 2006 White Paper and the revised Health Strategy under preparation.

World Food Programme (Kenya)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take urgent steps to tackle the situation facing the World Food Programme in Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: We share the World Food Programme's assessment that despite improved rains, food security remains poor among some communities in particular in northern and eastern Kenyathe same areas affected by drought in 2005. In many parts of northern Kenya rains were again below normal and drought conditions persist, resulting in continuing humanitarian needs in these areas. Rates of acute malnutrition remain very highwell above the emergency threshold.
	The UK is the second largest bilateral donor in the response (after the US). The UK's total contribution in response to the drought in Kenya since December 2005 is 22.2 million spent on food aid, water supplies and emergency health. Of this, 12.5 million has been channelled through the World Food Programme (WFP). I am considering further contributions and at the same time urging other donors to make contributions.
	DFID is also working with the Government of Kenya and others to tackle the underlying causes of the persistent food crises affecting Kenya. The Government of Kenya with our support is developing a hunger safety net programme that aims to tackle chronic hunger in the long term.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Council (Jazz Funding)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the oral Answer to the hon. Member for Waveney (Mr. Blizzard) of 24 April 2006,  Official Report, column 351, on Arts Council (Jazz Funding), what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the rescheduling of jazz music on Smooth FM on the listenership of that genre; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: Such an assessment does not fall within the remit of my Department.

Community Development Fund

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to extend the Community Development Fund beyond its initial three year period.

Richard Caborn: 60 million was available for the Community Club Development Programme in the three-year period 2003-06. An additional 40 million is available for the period 2006-08.

Community Development Fund

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been allocated in grants from the Community Development Fund; and which sports have received an allocation.

Richard Caborn: 60.1 million has been committed to date to the support of 1,018 sports facilities projects through the Community Club Development Programme (CCDP).
	Sports benefiting from CCDP in the period 2003-06 include: cricket, football, tennis, rugby football league, rugby football union, netball, rowing, swimming, badminton, cycling, canoeing, gymnastics, judo, basketball, hockey, and table tennis. A further three sports will be eligible to receive CCDP from 2006/07: boxing, golf and squash.

Departmental Staff (Sickness Absence)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 5 June 2006,  Official Report, column 131W, on Departmental Staff, how many staff in her Department have had two or more periods of sick leave of less than five days in two or more of the last three years.

David Lammy: My department had 89 members of staff who had two or more periods of sick leave of less than five working days in two or more of the last three years.

Digital Switchover

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has issued on digital switchover for landlords and local authorities; and if she will include information on integrated reception systems in future guidance to landlords.

Shaun Woodward: We wrote to all local authorities, registered social landlords and a number of representative bodies, including those representing private sector landlords and house builders in June 2004 alerting them to Digital Switchover. We wrote again to local authorities in January 2006. An electronic version of both letters is available on www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk, a copy of each has been placed in the Library.
	In 2005 we published Digital Switchover; A Good Practice Briefing Special in association with the Chartered Institute of Housing replacing an earlier booklet published by DCMS in December 2001. The Good Practice Briefing describes the implications of digital switchover for private and social sector landlords giving clear, objective advice on the various options available including integrated reception systems. It has been circulated widely to housing sector professionals by DCMS and the Chartered Institute of Housing, by other housing representative bodies and by Digital UK. An electronic version is available on www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Disabled Staff

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was paid to her Department from the Access to Work Scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget she plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport was paid 7,603.90 from the Access to Work scheme in the 05-06 financial year. Following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments, the cost of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff will be met centrally by the Department.

Fishing Licences

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many fishing licences were granted in  (a) London and  (b) each London borough in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Rod fishing licences are issued by the Environment Agency.
	Historically, the agency has not analysed sales of these licences by Government Office Region or by borough. However, there were 41,584 rod licence holders resident in London in 2005. Some of these will have purchased more than one licence.

London Olympics

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what training is being provided to enable local people to gain access to construction jobs created by the Olympic developments; what steps she has taken to encourage contractors to provide  (a) jobs and  (b) apprenticeships for local people; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry, has established a special teamConstructing London 2012to deliver locally available construction skills to build the Olympic and Paralympic infrastructure. It will work with partners to recruit and train local people, ensuring that building the infrastructure provides sustainable skills and job opportunities for people resident in east London through a range of newly targeted initiatives. A detailed Plan is currently being developed.
	The Construction National Skills Academy, due to be launched during the last quarter of 2006 will have a significant impact on developing construction skills for the Olympic infrastructure, and other London-based construction projects. One of its first on-site centres is likely to be in the Thames Gateway/Olympics area.
	The London 2012 Employment and Skills Taskforce (LEST) was commissioned by the Mayor and Government to produce an action plan aimed at helping Londoners benefit from the jobs and skills opportunities created by the London Games. This will be finalised in the autumn but Jobcentre Plus has already placed 15 people into jobs at the Olympic site and are discussing a further 200 vacancies with the two contractors so far engaged. These should arise over the next 12 to 18 months.
	The Olympic Delivery Authority's draft Procurement Policy sets out the overall framework and values guiding the ODA and its Delivery Partner's approach to procurement The draft Policy states the ODA's commitment to requiring its contractors and subcontractors to operate with a commitment to a competent workforce, and its desire to work with the appropriate sector skills councils to provide a legacy of a trained and motivated workforce for the future.

London Olympics

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are being taken to redirect sewerage services at the site of the Olympic Park and the Lea Valley area during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Richard Caborn: DEFRA are currently leading work to consider options for intercepting intermittent sewage discharges into the Thames, including developing a package of measures to protect the Olympic Park when the Olympic and Paralympic Games take place in 2012.

Online Gambling

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what action the Government can take against online gambling companies permitted by the whitelist to advertise in the UK who breach the licensing objectives of the Gambling Act 2005; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what criteria will be used to establish the whitelist of countries overseas from which online gambling establishments based in their jurisdiction may advertise in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Section 331 of the Gambling Act prohibits any gambling operator based outside the European Economic Area or Gibraltar from advertising in the UK unless a specific exemption has been made for that jurisdiction under sub-section 331(4). My Department will begin consulting on the criteria for making an exemption shortly.
	Should it become apparent that gambling regulation by a jurisdiction which has been specified under sub-section 331(4) of the Act is failing to meet the standards set by the Gambling Act, the Secretary of the State has the power to remove this exemption.

Swimming Pools

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many chlorinated public swimming pools there were in each  (a) London borough and  (b) constituency in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: We do not hold specific information on numbers of chlorinated public swimming pools. However, the numbers of public swimming pools by London borough in each of the last five years is shown in the following table. The ISRM advise that all pools must provide some form of residual disinfection in the pool water to protect bathers against the risk of cross-infection. The UK is not alone in using chlorine for this purpose. It is probably the most effective disinfectant in water and this is the reason it is used throughout the world, not only in swimming pools, but also in drinking water supplies. However, many swimming pools do use supplementary forms of treatment to enhance the disinfection process, such as ozone and UV.
	
		
			Of which x built in 
			  London borough  Total number  of pools  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Barking and Dagenham 8  
			 Barnet 22 2 1  1  
			 Bexley 141 2 
			 Brent 8  1
			 Bromley 28 2 1  1  
			 Camden 25 1 
			 City of London 14 3 1 1   
			 Croydon 28  2  4  
			 Ealing 26 2 2 1 1  
			 Enfield 16  2
			 Greenwich 16  
			 Hackney 5   1   
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 18 1 4 2   
			 Haringey 16  
			 Harrow 11  1
			 Havering 12 2   4  
			 Hillingdon 20 2   1  
			 Hounslow 16 1  1   
			 Islington 14 2 1
			 Kensington and Chelsea 16  1 1   
			 Kingston upon Thames 12  3 1   
			 Lambeth 11 1   1  
			 Lewisham 92  
			 Merton 14  1
			 Newham 10 2 1 1   
			 Redbridge 11 1 1
			 Richmond 192  
			 Southwark 17  1  1  
			 Sutton 12 1 
			 Tower Hamlets 11 1 1
			 Waltham Forest 15 1 3
			 Wandsworth 20 1 1  1  
			 Westminster 40 4 3  2 1

Swimming Pools

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many swimming pools there were in each London borough in each year from 1998 to 2004.

Richard Caborn: We do not hold the requested information on the number of pools in each London borough from 1998-2003.
	However, we do have a figure for the numbers of pools in each London borough for 2004 through the Active Places database. This information is shown in the table. The information includes swimming pools provided by public and private operators.
	
		
			  Number of pools by London borough in 2004 
			   Total 
			 Barking and Dagenham 8 
			 Barnet 22 
			 Bexley 11 
			 Brent 8 
			 Bromley 27 
			 Camden 25 
			 City of London 14 
			 Croydon 27 
			 Ealing 25 
			 Enfield 16 
			 Greenwich 16 
			 Hackney 5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 19 
			 Haringey 15 
			 Harrow 11 
			 Havering 12 
			 Hillingdon 20 
			 Hounslow 17 
			 Islington 14 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 16 
			 Kingston upon Thames 12 
			 Lambeth 11 
			 Lewisham 9 
			 Merton 14 
			 Newham 10 
			 Redbridge 11 
			 Richmond 19 
			 Southwark 17 
			 Sutton 12 
			 Tower Hamlets 12 
			 Waltham Forest 14 
			 Wandsworth 20 
			 Westminster 40

UK School Games

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what evaluation procedures are planned in respect of the delivery of the UK School Games by the Youth Sports Trust; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The selection of an operator to organise the UK School Games for 2006 and for 2007-11, and the subsequent grant of National Lottery money was a matter for the Millennium Commission. In my capacity as Chair of the Commission, I will write to you on this matter and arrange for copies of my reply to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses in due course.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Civil Contingencies Act

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many local authorities have complied fully with the obligations contained in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Miliband: Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 establishes a statutory framework for civil protection arrangements at the local level. Responders were given a six-month implementation period to put arrangements in place before the bulk of the duties came fully into force on 14 November 2005. The Act sets out clear roles and responsibilities for local responders (including local authorities) establishing a basis for effective performance assessment.The performance of responders against the requirements set out in the Act is assessed through their existing mainstream performance assessment frameworks. English local authorities' performance is assessed by the Audit Commission through the comprehensive performance assessment (CPA) process. The performance of local authorities in Wales is assessed by the Wales Audit Office.The Scottish Executive is responsible for making regulations and issuing guidance, under the Act, to local authorities in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, local authorities are subject to the non-statutory 'Northern Ireland Civil Contingencies Framework'.

Deputy Prime Minister

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the total cost was of the Deputy Prime Minister's  (a) private office and  (b) Central Policy Group within the Cabinet Office in 2001-02.

Hilary Armstrong: Support arrangements for Ministers include Private Secretaries, Special Advisers and Parliamentary Branch. The costs of individual Ministers' private offices are not separately identifiable, on my department's accounting system, from the overall support costs.The total support costs for all Cabinet Office Ministers in 2001-02 were 2,180,503. This period includes the General Election held in June 2001 and the machinery of government changes which followed. The total cost therefore includes support for three Ministers' offices to June 2001, and the Deputy Prime Minister and four additional ministers (one of whom, the Minister without Portfolio, was unpaid) following the General Election. These figures are therefore not representative of the typical annual running costs of Ministers' private offices.In addition to this, the total cost in 2001-02 of the Central Policy Group, from its foundation following the 2001 General Election, was 490,Both figures include staff pay costs and general office expenditure such as staff travel costs, IT related spend and office equipment costs.

IT Contracts

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the value was of each IT contract awarded by the Prime Minister's Office in each of the last five years; and who the contractor was in each case.

Patrick McFadden: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. The information for the Department cannot be produced in the form requested without incurring disproportionate cost. However, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) on 6 June 2006,  Official Report, column 545W.

IT Contracts

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which IT contracts awarded by the Prime Minister's Office in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the value was in each case.

Patrick McFadden: I refer the hon. member to the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, West and Royton (Mr. Meacher) on 5 October 2005,  Official Report, column 2773W, and the pursuant reply on 2 February 2006,  Official Report, column 667W.

Official Residence

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans the Government have for the two empty official residences at Admiralty house; and what the estimated  (a) capital and  (b) rental value is of each of the two flats.

Hilary Armstrong: There is currently one flat vacant at Admiralty house. A decision on its allocation will be taken in due course.For information on the capital and rental value of the property, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire (Oliver Heald) on 24 January 2005,  Official Report, column 136W.

Official Residence

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister paid to the Cabinet Office for the official residence of Deputy Prime Minister in Admiralty House in 2005-06  (a) in total and  (b) to cover the cost of (i) rent, (ii) security, (iii) utilities, (iv) facilities management and (v) general maintenance.

Edward Miliband: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister paid 173,268 to the Cabinet Office in 2005-06 to cover the cost of rent, security, utilities, facilities management and general maintenance for the official residence of the Deputy Prime Minister in Admiralty House.

Official Residence

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many full-time equivalent staff provide maintenance to the Deputy Prime Minister's official residence under the Cabinet Office contract for the maintenance of Admiralty House.

Edward Miliband: Admiralty House is one of a number of buildings in London covered by the Cabinet Office's Total Facilities Management contract. Maintenance of all buildings is carried out by a team of 11 engineers, and agency and specialist sub-contractors as required, in accordance with the Output Specification. There are no engineers specifically dedicated to the maintenance of the Deputy Prime Minister's official residence in Admiralty House.

Post Offices

Edward Davey: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Deputy Prime Minister will be chairing the first meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Post Offices; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Armstrong: Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including when they meet, is generally not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion. A list of Cabinet Committees, including the membership and terms of reference of the Ministerial Committee on the Post Office Network (MISC33), is available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Year of the Volunteer

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how the 7 million allocated by the Chancellor to the Year of the Volunteer was spent; and what the measurable outcomes of the funding were.

Edward Miliband: holding answer 10 July 2006
	Grants totalling 7.1 million for the England-wide Year of the Volunteer 2005 were made by the Home Office directly to organisations in the Voluntary and Community Sector, who were responsible for the delivery of the Year. The table shows how much grant was paid to each organisation, and for what purpose. The Year of the Volunteer involved over 3,000 events across the country, 12 themed months promoting different types of volunteering and a very significant media campaign to raise awareness of volunteering overall. An independent Delivery Review, conducted by GFK NOP Social Research and published in April, showed that over a quarter of all adults in England were aware of the year, over 2.2 billion minutes were pledged by the public for volunteering (well exceeding the 1 billion minutes target) and over a third of a million people visited the website. The Year brought together new partners to promote volunteering, including contributions of an additional 2 million worth of free media. The third sector, private sector and Government have built on the success of the year with initiatives such as the continuation of Environmental Volunteering Month in May, and a new Volunteering for All Programme.
	
		
			  Grants made by the Home Office during the Year of the Volunteer 2005 
			  Home Office investment into YV05  Purpose of Grant  Amount invested by the  Home Office () 
			 Community Service Volunteers Principal Voluntary Sector partner delivering a range of activities, events, promotional materials and press and media coverage 1,000,000 
			 Community Service Volunteers To deliver a government employee volunteering scheme 500,000 
			 Volunteering England Principal Voluntary Sector partner working with a consortium to deliver a range of activities, events, promotional materials and press and media coverage 1,000,000 
			 Volunteering England To increase the capacity of local volunteer centres throughout England 3,000,000 
			 Volunteering England Small grants programme for other stakeholders who can contribute to achieving the objectives of YOV 2005 250,000 
			 Marketing/Communications Support Research and branding, publicity, partnership marketing and the YOV 2005 website www.yearofthevolunteer.org 250,000 
			 Website and YOV 2005 evaluation support To develop and enhance www.yearofthevolunteer.org and manage project evaluation 100,000 
			 Media Trust For high-profile, multi-media consumer marketing campaign which aims to supercharge the year, raise awareness of volunteering and drive registrations of new volunteers. 1,000,000 
			 Total  7,100,000

SCOTLAND

Departmental Publications

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in date order the  (a) Green and  (b) White Papers produced by his Department since October 2005.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office published one Command Paper between October 2005 to date: Command No. 6834 Departmental Report, published on 24 May 2006.

Departmental Publications

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the unnumbered command papers produced by his Department in each session since 1976; how  (a) hon. Members and  (b) members of the public can (i) inspect and (ii) obtain copies; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	Documents which are laid before Parliament as Unnumbered Command Papers are generally restricted to Explanatory Notes to Treaties, Explanatory Memorandum to Statutory Instruments and some Treasury Minutes. All other documents are published in the Numbered Command Papers series.
	Copies of the Office's Explanatory Memoranda to Statutory Instruments are, as is the usual practice, made available via the Vote Office.

Disabled Staff

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was paid to his Department from the Access to Work Scheme for adjustments for disabled staff in the last year for which figures are available; from what budget he plans to meet the costs of reasonable adjustments for disabled staff following withdrawal of Access to Work funding for central Government departments; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has received no funding under this scheme.

Information Technology

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many  (a) USB (i) flash drives and (ii) memory sticks,  (b) compact discs,  (c) DVD-ROM discs,  (d) laptop computers,  (e) external computers hard drives,  (f) internal computer hard drives and  (g) desktop computers were purchased for use in his Department in each month since March 2005.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not collect this information in the form requested.

Information Technology

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  what the value was of each IT contract awarded by his Department in each of the last five years; and who the contractor was in each case;
	(2)  which IT contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the value was in each case.

David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) on 4 July 2006,  Official Report, column 939W.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department were awaiting a reply on 10th July 2006; which of those had been waiting longer than  (a) two and  (b) three weeks for a reply; and what the reason for the delay was in each case.

David Cairns: As at 25 July, one outstanding Scotland Office parliamentary question remained to be answered. It is an 'ordinary' written reply for 24 July and will be answered at the earliest opportunity.

Questionnaires

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many  (a) questionnaires,  (b) statistical inquiries and  (c) investigations have been carried out, wholly or partly at public expense on behalf of or by his Department in each year since 1997; and what the (i) nature, (ii) purpose and (iii) cost was of each.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established in July 1999 and has executive responsibility for the conduct of elections to the Scottish Parliament and the handling of legislation under the Scotland Act 1998. To date, this Office has not issued any questionnaires or carried out statistical inquiries or investigations.

Statutory Instruments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what occasions a statutory instrument sponsored by his Department has been reported by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments as defective since October 2005.

David Cairns: Reports from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments contain full details of the statutory instruments which they have reported.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Northern Ireland Members

David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals to impose the same financial penalties on any hon. Members from Northern Ireland constituencies who do not take their seats as will be imposed upon members of the Northern Ireland Assembly with effect from 25 November 2006.

Jack Straw: There are no plans to impose financial penalties on Members representing Northern Ireland constituencies who do not take their seats. The Northern Ireland Act 2006 provides for the dissolution of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the indefinite postponement of the next Assembly elections if an Executive has not been formed by 25 November 2005. In these circumstances, it would not be appropriate for members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to continue to receive salaries and allowances.

Parliamentary Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Leader of the House how many parliamentary questions tabled and due for answer were still awaiting a substantive reply at 25 July 2006.

Jack Straw: None.

Parliamentary Questions

Anne Main: To ask the Leader of the House if he will take steps to ensure that the drafting of answers to parliamentary questions in Government Departments is undertaken by officials with direct responsibility for the subject matter.

Jack Straw: However they are drafted, Ministers are responsible for answers given.
	Departments must ensure that the answers to questions abide by the terms of the Ministerial Code and the guidance issued in respect of the accuracy of answers.
	I therefore have no plans to issue guidance on the administrative arrangements for the preparation of answers to parliamentary questions, which must remain a matter for each Minister and his or her Department.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Accommodation

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2006,  Official Report, column 8W, on accommodation, why the houses are structurally unsuitable for use as offices.

Nick Harvey: The houses are unsuitable for use as offices because the floor loading capacity is inadequate, there is limited fire protection with no secondary means of escape and there are no facilities for disabled access. The buildings are also tall and narrow, resulting in limited accommodation on each floor. It is furthermore unlikely that the necessary listed building consent would be given for the extensive physical alterations which would be required for conversion to office use.

Mail Delivery

Mike Hancock: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent research the Commission has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the length of time it takes for mail to reach hon. Members' and hon. Members' staffs offices after arriving on the Palace of Westminster estate; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: After mail arrives at the Palace of Westminster it is delivered to Members offices' within the parliamentary estate on the day it arrives. Alternatively it is forwarded by the Royal Mail Special Delivery service to constituency offices to arrive the next working day by 1 pm. The next day service is guaranteed and is tracked and traced throughout its entire journey.

Passholders

Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many passholders are non-UK citizens, broken down by nationality.

Nick Harvey: 280 House of Commons passholders are non-UK citizens, covering over 90 nationalities, including dual and multiple nationalities. 71 of these are UK citizens with other nationalities. Hon. Members are not included, because they are not required to complete a pass application form. A full list of nationalities and the numbers for each nationality has been placed in the Library of the House.

Recycled Waste

Sarah Teather: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much waste generated by the House was recycled in each year since 1997, broken down by category of waste.

Nick Harvey: Data on waste began to be collected in April 2002 and no data are available prior to this date. The annual waste data from April 2002 to March 2006 are given in the table.
	
		
			  Annual total waste from 2002-03 to 2005-06 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			   Total (kg)  Percentage of waste recycled  Total (kg)  Percentage of waste recycled  Total (kg)  Percentage of waste recycled  Total (kg)  Percentage of waste recycled 
			 Paper and Cardboard 390,390 13.0 379,080 16.3 393,615 20.5 539,578 24.0 
			 Glass 252,850 8.4 173,100 7.5 152,800 8.0 182,760 8.1 
			 Metal 45,700 1.5 50,420 2.2 6,120 0.3 77,620 3.5 
			 Oil 8,030 0.3 4,140 0.2 6,360 0.3 12,212 0.5 
			 Fluorescent Tubes 702 0.0 553 0.0 757 0.0 1,276 0.1 
			 Sodium Lamps 1,016 0.0 393 0.0 880 0.0 1,284 0.1 
			 Light Fittings 38 0.0 270 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 Other Items 0 0.0 360 0.0 705 0.0 6,631 0.3 
			 Waste not recycled 2,068,220  1,710,570  1,355,272  1,430,319  
			 Annual total 2,766,946 25.3 2,318,886 26.2 1,916,509 29.3 2,251,680 36.5 
			  Note: All total figures are in kilograms. 1,000 kilograms = 1 tonne.

Smoking

David Taylor: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what recent discussions he has had with House authorities on the implementation of Smokefree Regulations in the Palace of Westminster in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: I understand that the Administration Committee has had a preliminary discussion about the application of the principles of the smoking provisions in the Health Bill to the parliamentary estate, and that it will consider the matter further in the autumn in the light of the draft regulations recently published by the Department of Health. The Commission awaits the Administration Committee's advice.

St. David's Day

Mark Williams: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission whether the Refreshment Department plans to  (a) hold a Welsh Cheese Week and  (b) serve Welsh dishes and products in the cafeterias and Members' Dining Room at Westminster on St. David's Day in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The Refreshment Department does not usually mount food promotions to coincide with all the national saints' days of the countries making up the UK, but normally celebrates at least one of them each year. Regional food promotions may also be mounted at other times of the year. No decision has yet been taken on such promotions in 2007.